Robin Swann resists calls for public inquiry into health watchdog resignations

Health Minister Robin Swann has announced an “independent review” into the resignation of the entire board of Northern Ireland’s health watchdog .
PACEMAKER BELFAST   23/06/2020 

Health Minister Robin Swann during the daily media broadcast in the Long Gallery at Parliament Buildings, Stormont on Tuesday.PACEMAKER BELFAST   23/06/2020 

Health Minister Robin Swann during the daily media broadcast in the Long Gallery at Parliament Buildings, Stormont on Tuesday.
PACEMAKER BELFAST 23/06/2020 Health Minister Robin Swann during the daily media broadcast in the Long Gallery at Parliament Buildings, Stormont on Tuesday.

The board of the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) stood down last week.

The health minister said the resignations were “regrettable” but insisted he is confident there would be “no impact on the day-to-day work” carried out by the regulators.

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The decision by the RQIA board to quit en masse came amid a row over the handling of the coronavirus pandemic in care homes.

Health Minister Robin Swann said the resignations would have no impact on the day-to-day work of the RQIAHealth Minister Robin Swann said the resignations would have no impact on the day-to-day work of the RQIA
Health Minister Robin Swann said the resignations would have no impact on the day-to-day work of the RQIA

In a statement, the former board members said they couldn’t “stand over” a number of decisions – including the move to reduce the number of care home inspections during the pandemic and to deployRQIA staff elsewhere.

Families’ calls for a public inquiry into the handling of the pandemic in care homes were backed yesterday by the trade union Unison, the organisation Amnesty Internatonal, and the Committee on the Administration of Justice.

While Mr Swann did announce an “independent review into exactly what happened” during a press briefing at Stormont today, he did not commit to the full inquiry called for by those organisations.

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David Nicholl, of On Board training, will undertake the review.

“I am of course sorry it got to this point,” Mr Swann said.

“Whilst the resignations are regrettable, I am confident they will have no impact on the day-to-day work of th RQIA.”

The minister said “within hours” of the resignations, he moved to appoint Christine Collins as the interim chair and expressed confidence she will further strengthen the voice of people who use the health and social care system.

“I recognise that the resignations will have caused some concern so today I am announcing an independent review into exactly what happened.”

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On the issue of a public inquiry, Mr Swann said: “I am under no illusion there will be national, international and local inquiries into this. They will come, but now is not the right time.”

Asked whether he would order an inquiry when it is the right time, the minister said: “I honestly believe it will be a wider inquiry than just health. To tie down an inquiry solely for the health response I think would be unfair.”

Older People’s Commissioner Eddie Lynch has described the resignation of the RQIA board as a “very worrying development which could not come at a worse time”.

He added: “Two years on from the publication of my Home Truths report, a number of recommendations to improve the regulation and inspection of care homes remain outstanding.

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“A new board must grasp the reform needed as a matter of urgency to ensure we get a system of regulation and improvement that tackles the underperformance of providers swiftly and robustly.”

Meanwhile, Julieann McNally from the group Care Homes Advice and Support Northern Ireland (CHASNI), said families had already lacked “confidence” in the board of the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority following a succession of care scandals in recent years.

Ms McNally, who was a leading figure in the push for an investigation into care failings at Dunmurry Manor Care Home that resulted in the publication of Mr Lynch’s ‘Home Truths’ report in 2018, said families must be involved in the running of the health regulators going forward.

Ms McNally said: “As far as the board of the RQIA go, there was no confidence from us in that board for a long time.

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“That is a reflection of the handling of Cherry Tree, Dunmurry Manor, Muckamore and all those sort of scandals in recent years.”

She continued: “I think now we have a good opportunity for some change, for some reform, with representation of families involved in that.

“We’ve been working with families for just over four years and, as Eddie Lynch has said, we are two years after the publication of the Home Truths report and we are yet to see the recommendations implemented.

“This has been a long time coming. It is disappointing that it has come right in the midst of what those care homes are going through, in the middle of a pandemic, but there is a real opportunity now going forward with a new board, with changes.”

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She added: “And we would like to see family representation in that in some form.”

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