Northern Ireland's care home residents are vulnerable to financial abuse

A review into the finances of residential care and supported living service users, in Northern Ireland, has concluded that new measures are required to ensure that safeguarding procedures are not overlooked.

The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) accepts that further guidance measures to those outlined at the last review in 2009 are needed, especially in circumstances where residents rely on the integrity of care teams for financial assistance.

Chief executive Glenn Houston comments: “People in residential care and supported living services are among the most vulnerable in society and are at a higher risk of financial exploitation than the general population.

“Whilst DHSSPS guidance issued in 2009 requires that mandatory controls are in place in statutory care homes, the situation is less clear in other settings.

“Through RQIA’s regulatory activities, we have identified a number of issues in relation to the management of service users’ finances. These include financial controls and arrangements regarding service user agreements and authorisations that are inadequate, and examples of poor record-keeping.

Mr Houston continues: “This review assessed trusts’ arrangements to manage service users’ finances and their compliance with departmental guidance. The team found that while trusts partially comply with the minimum requirements of the guidance, the level of assurance is not always robust.

“Today we are calling for the guidance to be revised to provide greater assurance that service users’ finances are being appropriately managed, and to reflect the changing structures of care delivery in Northern Ireland.”