Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Cathaoirleach. I thank members of the committee for the invitation to speak to you today regarding the crucial issue of standards of care in nursing homes and the oversight of these matters. I am joined today by Ms Siobhán McArdle, assistant secretary in the social care, mental health, drugs policy and unscheduled care division in the Department of Health. I am also joined by Mr. Trevor Moore and Ms Laura Casey,principal officers.

I acknowledge the “RTÉ Investigates” programme that was broadcast on 4 June. I commend them on this very important piece of work. This hard-hitting and harrowing programme highlighted a litany of poor care standards in two nursing homes, showing clear neglect and abuse of older people, namely, The Residence, Portlaoise, and Beneavin Manor, Glasnevin. The welfare of both the residents and their families was obviously at the forefront of my concerns following the RTÉ programme. I am conscious of the impact this programme will have had on the residents, their families, and the staff in the nursing homes featured in the broadcast. I am also conscious of the impact the programme will have had on the nursing home sector more generally. It is important to acknowledge the committed, compassionate, and dedicated providers and care staff operating in nursing homes across the country. Like everyone else watching the programme, I was shocked and deeply concerned at the level of non-compliance with care standards in evidence from the distressing footage that was aired. I welcome that referrals have been made to An Garda Síochána.

In a subsequent "RTÉ Investigates" programme, broadcast on 10 June, we also heard personal testimony from Mr. Paul Guy on behalf of the family of Audeon Guy, regarding the poor ongoing care that their father had been receiving in Beneavin Manor. I know the feelings articulated by Paul struck a chord with everyone who has had a loved one in a nursing home.

As Minister of State with responsibility for older people, I want to state categorically that poor care, mistreatment, neglect, and any other form of abuse of any person living in a long-term residential care centre is completely unacceptable. I expect the highest standards of care to be upheld by providers for every resident in every nursing home across the country and anything less than this standard will simply not be tolerated.

As the national independent regulator of nursing homes in Ireland, I expect HIQA and the office of the chief inspector to utilise all powers available to them to ensure rigorous oversight and accountability in nursing home care. Department of Health officials and I met HIQA on 4 of June to discuss regulatory activity relating to the nursing homes featured in the "RTÉ Investigates" programme. At this meeting, HIQA’s chief inspector confirmed its continuous intensive engagements with the two nursing homes in question. On 13 June, HIQA furnished me with an interim report on its engagement with the two nursing homes over the previous two weeks. This interim report details HIQA’s inspections of these nursing homes since the "RTÉ Investigates" programme was broadcast and its ongoing work in this regard. The report also provides a brief overview of the Emeis Ireland group.

With Department of Health officials, the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, and I met HIQA yesterday, 17 June, to discuss this interim report. I wish to advise the committee that the interim report has been published and also furnished to the committee and is being considered, along with a full report that is due from HIQA by the end of this week. The interim report was published yesterday.

Regarding the full report, I formally requested that HIQA furnish me with a comprehensive overview report of all of the nursing homes in the Emeis Ireland group, including an up to-date position on The Residence, Portlaoise and Beneavin Manor. It is critically important that residents of these nursing homes reside in a caring and safe environment. I am expecting this full report from HIQA by the end of this week, providing a comprehensive overview of the regulatory history, including, but not limited to, regulatory compliance, escalating enforcement actions and any additional conditions of registration.

HIQA has acknowledged in the interim report the importance of examining its processes and methodology. It is essential that these be looked at continually for ways to improve the inspection and regulation of nursing homes.

I assure the members of the committee that I will continue to closely monitor developments regarding both nursing homes. The welfare of residents and their families will remain our highest priority.

Last week, with Department of Health officials, I had constructive engagements with representative bodies and stakeholders from the nursing home sector, with an immediate focus on delivering the highest quality of care to the residents of nursing homes. With the officials, I also met HSE senior staff and management from six health regions last week. This engagement was constructive and centred on supporting residents and staff in community nursing units across the country in delivering the highest quality care.

I want to be clear that every nursing home resident deserves, and should expect, the highest standards of care at all times. To achieve this, it is paramount that registered providers of nursing homes adequately support their staff. Having effective governance and management arrangements in place ensures that staff are equipped to deliver person-centred care to residents.

I wish to advise members of the committee that, with Department of Health officials, I have met the HSE chief social worker and HSE staff and management from the two health regions where the two nursing homes are located. The HSE has confirmed that the directors of nursing from both local HSE community support teams have been on site in both nursing homes and are continuing to engage with them. A review of safeguarding concerns that have been raised about the two nursing homes is ongoing. The HSE has also confirmed that it will be engaging with all nursing homes in the Emeis Ireland group over the coming week.

I will turn now to adult safeguarding. I am fully committed, along with the Minister, to strengthening existing safeguarding protections across the health and social care sector and we will publish the first ever national adult safeguarding policy for the sector shortly. The policy will commit to the development of adult safeguarding legislation for the sector, including nursing homes, and will build on the range of legislation, policies and procedures already in place in the sector for preventing, reporting and responding to abuse. The Government has included a health (adult safeguarding) Bill in its current legislative programme to facilitate this. It is recognised that this will be an important further development in preventing and protecting vulnerable adults from abuse.

I would also like to advise the committee of work that is ongoing by the Department of Health to develop a framework for safe nurse staffing and skill mix for long-term residential care settings for older people. This work is being overseen by a task force. A research team from UCD and UCC have undertaken substantial research and testing of a methodology for determining safe staffing in the sector. This work is near completion and I expect to receive recommendations on how this can be implemented shortly.

I want to firmly reiterate that poor care, mistreatment or any other form of abuse of any person living in a long-term residential care centre is wholly unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Every resident of a nursing home deserves dignity, respect and the highest standards of care. As Minister of State with responsibility for older people, I am committed to ensuring that everything possible is done so that the distressing scenes we witnessed in the recent "RTÉ Investigates" programme do not happen again in any nursing home across the country. Colleagues, we must work together to create the policies and legislation to further protect our older people. They deserve the best of care. When I was appointed as Minister of State with responsibility for older people, the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste asked me to deliver a better future for our older people. That is what I am determined to do.