Ms Laura Casey:

The 2013 regulations set out requirements for complaints processes in nursing homes. Like most areas of complaint, the first port of call is the internal process. Each nursing home is required to have an internal process. We have been considering this matter arising out of recommendations from the expert panel and the recent extension of the remit of the Patient Advocacy Service to enter private nursing homes. The Minister hopes to publish revised regulations in the coming days to strengthen the requirements around complaints processes.

There is generally a complaints officer in a nursing home who reviews complaints. My understanding from speaking to stakeholders, including advocacy groups, is that the majority of complaints can be resolved quickly and on a somewhat informal basis, but there are also processes for formal complaints and reviews of same. All of this is within the internal complaints process. Residents and family members then have recourse to the Ombudsman for an external review of complaints where they do not believe those complaints have been dealt with satisfactorily within the internal complaints process.