Care home and social care regulation in Northern Ireland subject to full review

Claire Keatinge, the Older People’s Commissioner for Northern Ireland, has admitted there are ‘fundamental failings’ that need to be addressed in order for care regulation to effectively safeguard service users.

Announcing a full review into the regulation, inspection and delivery of care in nursing and residential homes, as well as domiciliary care, the commissioner stressed that “Vulnerable older people must be protected – and the public must be able to have confidence that residential and nursing homes place the care, dignity and respect of their residents at the centre of everything they do.”

This announcement comes after an Independent Review into failings at Cheery Tree House Nursing and Residential Home, in Carrickfergus, showed that “years of cruelty and poor care” had been able to continue in spite of the safeguards in place. The commissioner also admitted there had been lack of protection for whistleblowers.

Ms Keatinge comments, “Clearly the current system does not adequately protect those who rely on it for their care. The fact that this home continued to operate for years in spite of persistently failing to meet the necessary standards is shocking.

“My review will focus on what needs to happen so that when failings in care homes are identified, they are required to make the necessary improvements very quickly or they are closed down.”

A series of recommendations are being drawn up for the autumn, with the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety having already been called upon to introduce new adult safeguarding legislation, including making corporate neglect a criminal offence.

Ms Keatinge continues: “This would allow for prosecution of care home and care service owners who abuse and neglect older people in homes they own or services they run. The findings of the report into Cherry Tree House Nursing and Residential Care Home show clearly that care home owners must be held accountable for the standards in homes they own.

“This new proposed legislation needs to be put in place without delay. It is essential that the rights, quality of life, dignity and care needs of vulnerable older people must be at the heart of planning, delivering, regulating and inspecting care services to give confidence and certainty to the older people of today and tomorrow.”