Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 June 2023
175. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the number of nursing homes closed by court order under section 59 of the Health Act 2007 since January 2020; if he will list the name, address and operator of such homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29906/23]
View answer176. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the number of nursing homes that received more than two inspections from HIQA in 2022 due to HIQA concerns about the care and welfare of residents; if he will provide details of these homes; if HIQA is now satisfied there are no current HIQA concerns about the care and welfare of residents in these homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29910/23]
View answer178. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if HIQA has undertaken any prosecutions against any residential care facilities, proprietors, persons in charge and entities for any breach of regulations since April 2021; if so, the regulations breached by each such facility, person or entity; the details, including names of persons, facilities and entities prosecuted; the outcome of such prosecutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29914/23]
View answer179. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if HIQA has undertaken any prosecutions since June 2021 against any residential care facilities, proprietors, persons in charge and entities for any breaches of regulations; if so, the regulations breached by each such facility, person or entity; the name of the persons, facilities and entities prosecuted; the outcome of such prosecutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29919/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 175, 176, 178 and 179 together.
The Health Information and Quality Authority's older people's services inspection team is legally responsible for the monitoring, inspection and registration of designated centres for older people, such as nursing homes, in Ireland.
HIQA has advised my Department that two nursing homes were closed by court order under section 59 of the Health Act 2007 since January 2020.
• Donore Nursing Home, 13 Sidmonton Road, Bray, Co Wicklow. The Registered Provider was Brecon (Care) Limited.
• Oaklands Nursing Home, Derry, Listowel, Co Kerry. The Registered Provider was Bolden (Nursing) Limited.
HIQA has further advised that 23 Nursing homes received more than two inspections by inspectors of social services in 2022 however caution should be applied to interpreting this information in the context of risk in nursing homes for the following reasons:
• Increased frequency of inspection is sometimes but not always associated with concerns about the care and welfare of residents in a nursing home, it may also be for other reasons such as to inform a review of solicited or unsolicited inform received post routine inspections or to review the facilities and services being provided in a nursing home in order to inform decisions on applications to renew registration or vary conditions of registration.
• They may also reflect increased resources available to the Chief Inspector following the report of the expert panel including inspectors with expertise in fire safety and infection prevention and control who may carry out an inspection just to review these issues.
• Risk cannot always be viewed through the lens of a calendar year, for example a nursing home may have had three inspections in a 5 month period between the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022 which would not equate to more than 2 inspections in 2022
Of the 21 nursing homes which are currently open and that were inspected more than twice in 2022 (two closed voluntarily in the last 12 months):
• The number of inspections was not aligned to concerns about the care and welfare of residents in 7 of the nursing homes.
• There are no outstanding concerns in relation to ten of the nursing homes.
• Four are on a trajectory towards improved compliance.
No prosecutions were taken against registered providers of designated centres for older persons since April 2021.
