‘Take immediate action' demand issued to Govt after ‘shocking' nursing home exposé amid calls for regulation overhaul
THE Government has been urged to urgently overhaul regulation of private nursing homes following a shocking
exposé
.
An
2
The leader slammed 'systematic' ageism
Credit: Getty Images
2
She blasted Michael Martin in calls for immediate action
Credit: 2024 PA Media, All Rights Reserved
Both are run by Ireland's top private nursing home provider Emeis Ireland, who have apologised for the failings.
Hiqa chiefs have now launched a sweeping review of all nursing homes operated by Emeis Ireland, who run 27 facilities across the country.
But as the
Speaking during Leaders' Questions, Bacik called for the establishment of a statutory adult safeguarding framework and a root-and-branch review of Hiqa's inspection practices.
READ MORE IN NEWS
And the Labour supremo insisted there must be 'accountability' for 'profit-driven neglect of older people'.
She said: 'The scenes revealed on RTE last Thursday were shocking – but for many, sadly, not surprising.
"We saw vulnerable older people in private nursing homes being manhandled, neglected and humiliated. They were calling out for help and being ignored.
"Staff were using incontinence pads as makeshift sheets because of equipment shortages. This is nothing short of systemic abuse.
Most read in Irish News
'Twenty years on from Leas Cross, the public is once again reeling. But despite expressions of sympathy and tributes to RTE Investigates, the Taoiseach's response today fell far short.
'NO TIMELINE'
"There was no timeline for change, no real accountability, and no mention of the voices that are still missing – the residents themselves.
'Absent from this debate are the people living in these institutions – out of sight and too often out of mind. If we are honest, systemic ageism has allowed a substandard care system to grow across our country.
"And it is deeply disturbing that so many families feel petrified about the thought of ageing or moving into a nursing home. I've heard from people whose loved ones were injured or denied basic medication.
"They tried to advocate, but were met with silence from Hiqa, the Ombudsman, or the HSA. This is utterly unacceptable."
'BEYOND BELIEF'
The Labour leader continued: 'Hiqa, which was established after Leas Cross to prevent further abuse, is not fulfilling its duties. Reports are relied on by families – but in too many cases, they are misleading and dangerous.
"It is beyond belief that Hiqa has been asked to lead the review of nursing home standards, despite its failure to spot the very abuses RTE exposed.
"The public deserves better. Older people deserve better.
'I'm calling on Government to stop paying lip service and take immediate action to protect older people. We need a safeguarding framework – as recommended by the Law Reform Commission last year. We need robust, independent oversight.
"And above all, we need to end the systemic ageism that has enabled the horrors we witnessed on RTE. Government must act now.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Journal
2 hours ago
- The Journal
Tánaiste says gardaí should investigate treatment of nursing home residents in RTÉ documentary
TÁNAISTE SIMON HARRIS has said that the treatment of residents at nursing homes highlighted by a RTÉ documentary should be investigated by gardaí. Harris said the State is too reliant on the private market for nursing home care and said that 'far too many' people in Ireland go into nursing homes 'far too early'. Emeis Ireland, formerly known as Orpea, operates 27 nursing homes across Ireland. A recent RTÉ Investigates programme investigated poor treatment and practices at two of the homes operating in the chain. The investigation documented staff at the nursing homes leaving residents dressed in inappropriate incontinence wear, leaving them unchanged for hours at a time, and being discovered in wet clothing after they had wet themselves. The programme also showed a man with dementia being 'roughly handled' by staff. Speaking in the Dáil today during Leaders' Questions, Labour TD Marie Sherlock said that there are 'huge questions for Government' over how to care for older people in Ireland. She said there are no minimum staffing levels for nursing homes and asked Harris whether he is 'comfortable' with the nursing home sector 'becoming dominated by big business'. Advertisement Responding, Harris said: 'The short answer is I believe the State is too reliant on the private market when it comes to nursing home provision. 'That's why we established a commission of care because I do think we need to look at the entire model of how we care for older people in this country.' He said that he accepts that people 'work in very demanding environments' but that he 'also believe[s] what stems from what we've seen on our television screens in recent days are real questions of personal accountability. 'There are laws in our land today. There are laws in relation to assault, there are laws in relation to how we conduct ourselves, and I would urge that a referral is made to An Garda Siochana in relation to the footage that we saw. 'Because what I saw with my own two eyes, the haunting scenes of people being, in my view, physically assaulted in their home, is something that – the government has responsibilities here to do things, absolutely, but so too do people who carry out those actions.' Harris also said the Health and Information Quality Authority (Hiqa) has questions to answer as there were 'serious shortcomings'. 'There is no law, there is no ideology, or there is no model of care that can excuse away – either in its existence or its absence – the conduct of people who decided to physically manhandle elderly people with dementia, and I want them held accountable and I want the gardaí to look at the matter.' The Public Accounts Committee has unanimously decided to call senior representatives from Hiqa, the HSE and the Department of Health after the documentary. PAC chairman John Brady said: 'The revelations uncovered in this investigative report have understandably caused widespread outrage and deep public concern. They raise fundamental and troubling questions about the oversight, governance and accountability mechanisms in place within the residential care sector.' Contains additional reporting by Press Association Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Examiner
4 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Hiqa to be quizzed by PAC about its oversight of nursing homes
Hiqa is set to face questioning from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on failures of oversight in nursing homes. The HSE and senior health officials have also been called before the committee as a matter of urgency in an effort to uncover how the failures observed in a recent RTÉ exposé were allowed to persist and whether warning signs were ignored, overlooked or inadequately responded to. Hundreds of millions of euro of the public's money is provided to the nursing home sector through multiple channels and taxpayers have the right to know that this money is used to provide the highest standards of care, chairman John Brady said. "The PAC is committed to ensuring that this is not just another brief moment of outrage followed by inaction," Mr Brady said as the committee took the unanimous decision to call the bodies to appear. Labour's Martin Wall told the Dáil that Hiqa has failed in its duty and is not fit for purpose. Families who have contacted him over the last week have been failed by Hiqa reports which "painted a picture that was far from the reality" and led to families "unwittingly putting their relatives in harm's way". Minister of state for older people Kieran O'Donnell said there has been continued "intensive engagement" regarding the two Emeis Ireland-run nursing homes featured in the RTÉ programme. Mr O'Donnell said: It was identified, the issues in Portlaoise, in the two Hiqa reports. The Beneavin report did not highlight that fact. These are questions I have put to Hiqa. He said an interim report on Emeis Ireland overall is expected by the end of the week with a final report due next week. The over-reliance on private providers came under fire from backbench and Opposition TDs alike with the Government accused of a "specific, determined and protracted policy of privatisation of nursing home care" by Matt Carthy. Mr Carthy said older people are being treated like a commodity in a "race to the bottom" in a largely privatised nursing home sector. His party colleague Louise O'Reilly said a small number of private providers are cutting corners in the name of chasing a profit with the Government facilitating them in this pursuit. Ms O'Reilly said: You are making millionaires on the back of human misery and indignity and poor treatment of our older people and vulnerable people. Fianna Fáil TD and GP Martin Daly said there needs to be a move away from large, corporate congregated settings in favour of smaller, community-based homes. "I am told it takes a congregation of 70 in a nursing home to make it profitable for private operators," Mr Daly said, noting the large number of small nursing homes that have closed in recent years. Mr O'Donnell acknowledged that the sector has moved from predominantly State-led services to almost 80% being provided by the private sector but said there is continued investment into the community nursing unit programme including €4m to staff and the opening of 615 public community beds this year. The Dáil also heard that an adult safeguarding policy is to be brought to Government before the summer recess next month.
The Irish Sun
8 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Nursing home in RTE ‘abuse' doc scandal being probed by gardai following family ‘complaints' after ‘haunting scenes'
GARDAI have launched an investigation into one of the nursing homes at the centre of RTE's shocking exposé last week, the Irish Sun can reveal. An Advertisement 2 Tanaiste Simon Harris called on gardai to investigate the shocking incidents Credit: AFP 2 The RTE doc revealed patients being roughly handled in a nursing home Credit: RTE Press Office Issue Both nursing homes included in the investigation – The Residence in Portlaoise and Beneavin Manor in The family of one resident named Audeon Guy at Beneavin Manor have since gone public with their fury after footage showed their dad being roughly handled as he pleaded with staff to stop. Advertisement READ MORE IN IRISH NEWS A Garda spokesperson said: 'An Garda Siochana cannot comment on third party statements, or on named persons or businesses. 'An Garda Siochana has commenced an investigation following complaints received from a family relative of an older person.' The Irish Sun can confirm that the nursing home that gardai are now investigating is Beneavin Manor in Dublin. Earlier, Tanaiste Simon Harris called on gardai to investigate the shocking incidents exposed in the RTE documentary which he claimed amounted to abuse. Advertisement Most read in Irish News The 'There are laws in our land today. There are laws in relation to assault. AI robot nurse with creepy 'face' taking over hospital jobs as it patrols halls, delivers meds and tracks patient vitals "There are laws in relation to how we conduct ourselves and I would urge that a referral is made to An Garda Siochana in relation to the footage that we saw. 'Because what I saw with my own two eyes, the haunting scenes of people being, in my view, physically assaulted in their Advertisement 'I do think there is a need for a garda investigation into what we saw in relation to the individual actions of people in relation to that.' REGULATION ISSUES The Dublin TD questioned why Ireland does not have minimum staffing rules for nursing homes and criticised the government for allowing the sector to become dominated by big Advertisement The Minister is also expected to meet HIQA next week to discuss their policing of the nursing home sector amid criticism that the watchdog failed to pick up on the problems in the two homes in RTE's expose. Underfire HIQA bosses will also be hauled into a Dail committee next week to be grilled about their checks on nursing homes.
