Families need ‘clarity’ on future of care home hit by infection scandal

A care home campaigner has said families remain in the dark about the future of a Belfast care home at the centre of an infection control scandal.
By Niall Deeney
Published 27th May 2020, 17:35 BST
Clifton Nursing Home in north Belfast, which is operated by Runwood Homes. Discussions with a potential new care provider at the crisis-hit Belfast home are ongoing, the health trust said. PA Photo. Picture date: Tuesday May 26, 2020. Frail and elderly residents are being relocated over "ongoing concerns" relating partly to management of a Covid-19 outbreak. See PA story HEALTH Coronavirus Ulster Home. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA WireClifton Nursing Home in north Belfast, which is operated by Runwood Homes. Discussions with a potential new care provider at the crisis-hit Belfast home are ongoing, the health trust said. PA Photo. Picture date: Tuesday May 26, 2020. Frail and elderly residents are being relocated over "ongoing concerns" relating partly to management of a Covid-19 outbreak. See PA story HEALTH Coronavirus Ulster Home. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire
Clifton Nursing Home in north Belfast, which is operated by Runwood Homes. Discussions with a potential new care provider at the crisis-hit Belfast home are ongoing, the health trust said. PA Photo. Picture date: Tuesday May 26, 2020. Frail and elderly residents are being relocated over "ongoing concerns" relating partly to management of a Covid-19 outbreak. See PA story HEALTH Coronavirus Ulster Home. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

Authorities took what the Health Minister Robin Swann described as the “drastic” decision to move residents out of Clifton Nursing Home in north Belfast last week over concerns about the way infection control was being handled during the coronavirus pandemic.

The decision was announced on Friday after a number of failed inspections by the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA).

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But a deal has now been struck for another company to take over its management that will allow residents to remain in their home.

But the new arrangements, which will see a company known as Healthcare Ireland assume management of the home from its current operators Runwood Homes, are only an “interim” measure for a set period of six weeks.

The News Letter understands that talks remain ongoing about what arrangements will be put in place after the interim period expires.

Julieann McNally, a leading figure in the Care Home Advice and Support NI (CHASNI) support group, has said families need greater clarity.

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Ms McNally said: “There are a lot of unanswered questions and families need answers.”

She asked: “Is this going to happen for a period of six months before we see Runwood returning to take over again?”

The RQIA carried out an inspection of the home on May 15 and followed that up with enforcement action on May 20.

Another inspection was carried out on May 21, the day before the decision to move residents was announced.

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The RQIA has said the results of that inspection are still being “considered”.

Neither inspection report has yet been published by the RQIA.

Ms McNally continued: “The RQIA should publish their inspections much quicker than they do.

“Given the fact that their inspection seems to have been what was ultimately behind this drastic action, we would have liked to have seen that inspection report available to families immediately.

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“The seriousness of everything that’s happened at Clifton Nursing Home shows why families have been right to push for more transparency and clarity around these things.

“We’ve been calling for a long time for the communication with families to improve.”

She continued: “The fact that the RQIA, as of yesterday, were still saying they were considering the findings of the inspection carried out on May 21 that begs the question of what exactly it was that convinced the Belfast Trust to go in to remove residents. We still don’t know what was in the inspection reports.”

A spokesperson for the RQIA said: “This week, RQIA met with Runwood Homes Ltd and Healthcare Ireland to discuss the management and operation of Clifton Nursing Home, Belfast. RQIA welcomes the agreement for Healthcare Ireland to provide an interim management arrangement at this home, which aim to address the serious concerns highlighted in RQIA’s enforcement action following recent inspections.”

Related topics:Robin SwannBelfast