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BreakingNews.ie
5 days ago
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
Nursing homes controversy: What we know so far
A documentary broadcast on RTÉ this week revealed serious issues at a number of nursing homes. The film examined standards of care at nursing homes operated by Emeis Ireland, formerly known as Orpea. The French-owned company runs 27 residential homes across the State. Advertisement Undercover researchers found multiple examples of care failings and neglect of vulnerable older residents in the facilities. Here is everything we know so far about the controversy, including the growing political reaction. The background The RTÉ investigation found concerning issues at The Residence Portlaoise and Beneavin Manor nursing homes. The documentary highlighted vulnerable people being left unsupervised, large amounts of residents congregated together being supervised by one member of staff, and requests for the use of toilets being unanswered for lengthy periods of time. Advertisement It also showed some staff not using proper hoisting equipment and shortages in necessary items like incontinence pads. RTÉ had two undercover researchers simultaneously apply for and secure healthcare assistant roles at the Emeis homes. They both had all the required qualifications and were Garda vetted by RTÉ. Emeis Ireland is a French-owned nursing home group. Photo: Collins At The Residence Portlaoise, up to 101 residents can be accommodated at a weekly cost of approximately €1,200 per week under the Fair Deal scheme. The Fair Deal scheme is a State support system that helps cover the cost of nursing home care, based on a person's income and assets. The undercover researchers did witness some staff provide good care but more often saw repeated instances of staff shortages impacting daily resident care. Advertisement This included large groups of residents being congregated together in day rooms, vulnerable older people being left unsupervised resulting in resident falls and day-to-day requests going unattended to for lengthy periods of time such as pleas to be put to bed or use the toilet. The undercover carer also witnessed multiple examples of poor manual handling with older residents frequently lifted under the arms and without the required use of proper handling equipment contrary to best practice. On some occasions staff were hampered by a lack of available equipment, while in one instance management also instructed healthcare assistants not to use hoisting equipment in public areas for fear their poor technique would be seen by visitors. Beneavin Manor nursing home in Glasnevin, Dublin. Photo: Collins At Beneavin Manor in Dublin, which can provide care for up to 115 adults for approximately €1,400 per week with Fair Deal funding, another undercover researcher saw similar patterns of staff under pressure. Staff also faced constant challenges when it came to the supply of essential resources with recurring shortages of basic items such as towels, bedsheets, sanitary wipes and gloves. Advertisement The researcher also witnessed the inappropriate handling of vulnerable residents with frail older people sometimes moved by their clothing instead of using the correct handling equipment mandated in their care plans. RTÉ had both researchers hand in their notice and report all their concerns to management at the nursing homes and to the regulatory body, the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa). The response In response to the documentary, Emeis Ireland issued an apology to to all residents and their families for 'the suffering and distress experienced as a result of failures identified in the care provided'. It said it recognised and deeply regrets the 'breach of trust' and 'any failure to uphold the dignity of some residents at all times'. Advertisement Emeis Ireland said it has commenced a comprehensive review across both nursing homes. Hiqa, which is responsible for inspecting nursing homes, said it is taking 'escalating action' over the 'wholly unacceptable' practices identified in the programme. It said a decision to halt admissions to the Residence Portlaoise came into effect in April. Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke expressed his distress at the revelations in the RTÉ investigation. 'It was very distressing to see vulnerable people to be treated the way they were. When you consider elderly people who have given so much for our economy, for our state, to be treated like that in their twilight years was absolutely reprehensible,' he told RTÉ's Today with Claire Byrne show. Labour TD Alan Kelly said Hiqa had a 'lot of questions to answer' following the broadcast, adding that the agency needed to be properly supported to 'actually do its job'. Mr Kelly said demographic changes in the country necessitate a completely different strategy for care of older and vulnerable people, including more public nursing homes and plans for increased home help and care in the home. He also said Hiqa and other organisations need the Government to put an adult safeguarding framework in place. The chairwoman of Safeguarding Ireland said she was 'disturbed, distressed, and angry' over the findings of the programme. In reference to a previous RTÉ documentary on the Leas Cross Nursing Home 20 years ago, Patricia Rickard-Clark added: 'We have gone backwards, I think.' Ms Rickard-Clark told RTÉ's Morning Ireland that the Government needs to establish an inter-department and inter-agency working group to deal with recommendations from the Law Reform Commission on adult safeguarding. Disability Minister Norma Foley described the programme as 'horrifying' and 'heartbreaking'. 'To see older people struggle to be heard, to be listened to and to be cared for is quite appalling.' Ms Foley said she believed that a lack of guidelines on staff-to-resident ratio in nursing homes should be 'looked at'. What next? A review of all nursing homes operated by Emeis Ireland has now been requested by the Department of Health. Minister of State at the Department of Health with responsibility for Older People Kieran O'Donnell has asked Hiqa to start the review of all nursing homes operated by the group in the wake of the RTÉ Investigates programme. Ireland Nursing home revelations 'extremely distressing' a... Read More He said the treatment of residents at the nursing homes was 'extremely distressing' and 'wholly unacceptable'. The Minister said he wanted to see inspections happening more frequently and faster responses to protected disclosures. Hiqa's chief inspector 'is taking escalated regulatory action in the nursing homes identified' and 'will take any necessary additional actions with the provider to ensure safe and effective care and support to all residents', a spokesperson said. Hiqa ordered admissions to The Residence in Portlaoise to be ceased after the release of a report in February detailed areas of significant concern. – Additional reporting: Vivienne Clarke, Press Association
Irish Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Who is Emeis and where are their Irish care homes located?
Emeis is a French nursing home group formerly known as Orpea. It entered the Irish market in 2020 through the takeover of the TLC Nursing Home portfolio and followed up with further deals. A review of all nursing homes operated by Emeis Ireland has now been requested by the Department of Health . Minister of State at the Department of Health with responsibility for Older People Kieran O'Donnell has asked the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) to start the review of all nursing homes operated by the group in the wake of Wednesday's RTÉ Investigates programme. Emeis Ireland runs 27 residential homes across the State, two of which were the subject of the broadcast, which detailed alleged elder abuse and neglect , scenes described by HIQA as 'wholly unacceptable and shocking'. READ MORE Who is Emeis? The nursing home group entered the Irish market in 2020 through the takeover of the TLC Nursing Home portfolio and followed up with further deals. It reported a €70.2 million net loss in 2023, according to its latest annual financial statement, filed with the Companies Registration Office (CRO) in December 2024. That brought its accumulated losses over three years to more than €223 million. Emeis Ireland, the largest private operator in the sector, attributed most of the losses to the writing down of goodwill associated with peak-of-market acquisitions. Still, the company remained profitable at earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) level throughout the period. This was helped by the fact that, unlike several operators that entered the market in recent times, it owns most of its properties. Its French parent required a bailout in 2023, led by a state-owned investment firm, in the wake of a scandal over residents' mistreatment in its home market. 'The directors' primary concern is with the health and safety of the group's residents and our employees,' Emeis said in the annual financial statement 'The directors closely monitor and assess the ongoing risks to the health and safety of all residents and employees and develop responses accordingly.'
Irish Times
5 days ago
- Health
- Irish Times
Review of all nursing homes operated by Emeis Ireland requested by Department of Health
A review of all nursing homes operated by Emeis Ireland has been requested by the Department of Health . Minister of State at the Department of Health with responsibility for Older People Kieran O'Donnell has asked the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) to start the review of all nursing homes operated by the group in the wake of Wednesday's RTÉ Investigates programme. Emeis Ireland runs 27 residential homes across the State, two of which were the subject of the broadcast, which detailed alleged elder abuse and neglect , scenes described by HIQA as 'wholly unacceptable and shocking'. HIQA's Chief Inspector 'is taking escalated regulatory action in the nursing homes identified' and 'will take any necessary additional actions with the provider to ensure safe and effective care and support to all residents', a HIQA spokesperson said. READ MORE HIQA ordered admissions to The Residence in Portlaoise, featured in the programme, to be ceased after the release of a report in February detailed areas of significant concern. This order came into effect in April. The Residence featured alongside Beneavin Manor in Glasnevin, north Dublin, in the programme. The broadcast included scenes of older people allegedly being manhandled, 'forced' down into chairs, being left in incontinence pads for so long their clothes were soaked, and being ignored when they pleaded for help to go to the toilet. Emeis Ireland, previously known as Orpea, is the largest provider of private nursing home beds in the State. The Residence, Portlaoise, was found to be non-compliant with 10 regulations following the February inspection. It found staff were not appropriately trained to deliver effective and safe care and were not appropriately supervised, which was noted as being a repeated noncompliance. While most centres can expect one or two inspections each year, Hiqa said it carries out more inspections at centres where there are concerns or where there is repeated noncompliance. The Residence, Portlaoise, had three inspections last year and one in February. Beneavin Manor was also among the 36 nursing homes to receive three or more inspections in response to persistent noncompliance. Other enforcement steps available to Hiqa include cancelling the registration of a centre. However, it noted such action can cause 'significant upset and distress' to residents and their families. Following 840 inspections in total last year, the authority either refused to renew registration or cancelled the registration of 10 nursing homes. The Minister for Older People Kieran O'Donnell said he met Hiqa on Wednesday because of the 'urgency' of the situation exposed in the 'extremely distressing' RTÉ programme. 'Furthermore I've asked Hiqa to come back to me on the work they're doing in terms of the intensive engagement with the two nursing homes over the next week. And I've asked them to do an overview of the Emeis group itself in terms of all the nursing homes, in terms of the regulation and enforcement process,' he said. The Minister said he wanted to see inspections happening more frequently and faster responses to protected disclosures. The former general secretary of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, Liam Doran, said he felt shame, anger and frustration at the scenes in the programme. 'And then I think sadness, just sadness at looking at people who have served this country, have worked for this country and have shown fortitude, much more than the modern generation and that's how we treat them. Shame, shame on all of us.' Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke said on RTÉ's Claire Byrne Show: 'If people are not being cared for appropriately, with dignity, with respect, in an institution, well then that institution should not be operating. 'Hiqa need to really enforce that and to ensure that everyone has a basic level of dignity and care that they deserve in their twilight years.' The chairperson of Safeguarding Ireland, Patricia Rickard-Clarke has repeated a call on the Government to establish of an interdepartmental interagency working group to implement the recommendations of the Law Reform Commission's report from April 2024. This set out policy changes that needed to be made to implement safeguarding legislation. 'I am very disturbed and very distressed and very, very angry about this,' she told RTÉ radio's Morning Ireland. 'We're 20 years after Leas Cross. We have gone backwards, I think,' she said, referring to the 2005 closure of the Dublin nursing home after revelations about the mistreatment of patients.l She said that Hiqa has questions to answer, but 'one of the limitations it has is that it doesn't have the function of taking individual complaints or concerns. It looks at systemic issues, and it goes in on an irregular basis, and also there was a delay in responding to a particular request (by a whistleblower)'. The CEO of The Alliance, a trade association for the nursing home sector in Ireland, Shane Scanlan, said he was 'utterly shocked and appalled' by the RTÉ exposé. 'As a nurse myself and the director of nursing for over 10 years, you just really feel for the residents and families that have been affected by this,' he told Newstalk Breakfast. 'I'd be calling for an immediate, independent, root and branch review of how Hiqa carries out their inspections and their methodology,' he said. Sean Moynihan of Alone has said that Ireland was 'walking into the privatisation of nursing homes' where economics seemed to be more important than the actual rights of the older person and the healthcare of older people. Speaking on RTÉ radio's Morning Ireland, Mr Moynihan said the RTÉ exposé had been a 'very visible shock' of how older people are treated.
Irish Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Health
- Irish Daily Mirror
Taoiseach expresses concern over harrowing RTE documentary on nursing homes
It is "unacceptable" and "very concerning" that nursing home operators would "allow" abuse of elderly residents in their facilities, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said. He made the comments shortly before a harrowing RTÉ Investigation documentary was due to air, exposing shocking treatment in Irish nursing homes. It went undercover in two nursing homes, showing residents crying out for help, left in soiled clothes and being incorrectly handled. Over the past eight weeks, the public broadcaster has been investigating care at two nursing homes run by Emeis Ireland, formerly Orpea. It is the largest private nursing home provider in the country, with 27 homes across the country with a capacity for 2,400 residents. The researchers got extensive footage from The Residence Portlaoise, Co Laois, and Beneavin Manor in Glasnevin, Dublin. Speaking in Dublin this afternoon, the Taoiseach admitted that he was very concerned about what could be unveiled in the documentary. Mr Martin said: "I'm very, very concerned about it. I think it's shocking what is likely to be revealed following the reports that I've seen so far. "I've observed two professors with considerable experience in geriatric medicine and Gerontology express their shock and also their very clear observations that this is fundamentally abuse of senior citizens in those nursing homes. "I also know that the Health Information Quality Authority (HIQA), which is the key authority there, was doing a lot of work to ensure compliance [and] has engaged with those nursing homes. "The number of people in nursing homes is in decline as a percentage of the overall population. "In other words, the policies of home care, the policies that are pursued, is enhancing the capacity of people to stay at home and to stay out of nursing homes for longer periods. "It means we have to double down on those policies in terms of home care solutions, in terms of healthcare, lifestyle and so on. That's working. "But that said, there will be, obviously, time for people and no option but for people to go into nursing homes. "It should be the best possible experience, and it's unacceptable that operators would allow such abuse take place." Following concerns raised by several whistle-blowers, RTÉ had two undercover researchers and healthcare workers apply for and secure jobs at separate Emeis nursing homes. In Portlaoise, a woman was left stranded on a toilet by a new carer who had gone on her break. Harrowing footage shows the woman saying: "Don't leave me now, oh my God," as she has a broken call bell. In another incident, a man was left waiting for 25 minutes to use the bathroom, as he said he was "in terrible pain" and "very full". Consultant Geriatrician Prof Rónán Collins, who took part in the documentary, said: "I don't want to be melodramatic and say that it amounts to institutional abuse of people but clearly if people are suffering because they want to go to the toilet and they're faced with the choice of being incontinent in the chair not being taken to the toilet due to staffing levels, that is very, very poor care of people."
Dublin Live
6 days ago
- Health
- Dublin Live
Undercover RTE documentary highlights horrific conditions in Irish nursing homes
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A shocking RTÉ documentary that goes undercover in two nursing homes shows residents crying out for help, left in soiled clothes and being incorrectly handled. Over the past eight weeks, the public broadcaster has been investigating care at two nursing homes run by Emeis Ireland, formerly Orpea. The largest private nursing home provider in the country, it has 27 homes across the country with capacity for 2,400 residents. Following concerns raised by several whistleblowers, RTÉ had two undercover researchers and healthcare workers apply for and secure jobs at separate Emeis nursing homes. The researchers got extensive footage from The Residence Portlaoise, Co Laois, and Beneavin Manor in Glasnevin, Dublin. In Portlaoise, a woman was left stranded on a toilet by a new carer who had gone on her break. Harrowing footage shows the woman saying "Don't leave me now, oh my God," as she has a broken call bell. A nurse then comes to her help, as the terrified resident tells her she was "ringing and ringing and ringing". Later, speaking about the carer, she says: "She never came back. I'm here on me own. It was terrible. It is a fright when the other yoke won't work." The nurse then told her "don't worry" but proceeded to clean the woman's hands with her own skirt. In another incident, a man was left waiting for 25 minutes to use the bathroom, as he said he was "in terrible pain" and "very full". Consultant Geriatrician Prof Rónán Collins, who took part in the documentary, said: "I don't want to be melodramatic and say that it amounts to institutional abuse of people but clearly if people are suffering because they want to go to the toilet and they're faced with the choice of being incontinent in the chair not being taken to the toilet due to staffing levels, that is very, very poor care of people." Prof David Robinson added: "What we're looking at I suppose is largely institutional abuse and this is neglect at, we're seeing a lot of it, in a setting which is supposed to be caring." Footage in Portlaoise showed a serious staffing issue, as the undercover healthcare worker was just one of three staff looking after 30 residents on Easter Saturday. (Image: RTE Investigates) Much of the inadequate care appears to be down to staffing issues, however, the documentary also exposes a lack of proper equipment. At a staff meeting in Portlaoise, the home ran out of incontinence pads, with a nurse saying that the next supply wouldn't arrive for 10 days. A senior nurse then tells staff that management might restrict their access to pads. She said: "'You were told this at the meeting, if ye run out of pads this month, you're going have to use what's there. You'll have to go and use sticky pads and use underwear and sticky pads for the next 10 days'." A nurse then said that some residents were found "double padded" and "that is a form of abuse". Commenting on this, Prof Robinson said: "Rationing incontinence wear when you're trying to make sure that people are clean and dry and also promote toileting. It's almost like a restriction." The Emeis policy on correct manual handling techniques states its nursing homes should operate a "minimal manual handling approach". However, during her time at The Residence in Portlaoise, the undercover assistant frequently saw staff flout basic manual handling skills. A shocking scene shows a frail older woman being lifted under her arms by one male carer, despite her care plan outlining she needs two workers and a full body hoist. The resident distressingly shouts "no" as the staff member tells her "no you're fine, you're fine". At Beneavin Manor in Glasnevin, footage also showed staff improperly handling residents and leaving them to soil themselves. While going down a corridor, a man using a walking frame was shown being guided by two staff in a very quick manner. One assistant was hoisting him by the back of his waist, and he became visibly uncomfortable and upset. Despite protesting, they forced him into his room and very abruptly pulled his trousers down and yanked his pad off before being pushed into a chair. The elderly man could be heard saying: "Stop that! Stop that, get out of my room." Prof Collins said: "That's unacceptable. You can clearly see that he's being roughly handled, inappropriately handled, that he's not understanding what's going on and being slightly frightened by as well as being grabbed by the back of his pants and pushed forward, pushed back into the chair. That's very inappropriate handling." At the nursing home, the undercover reporter was also shown by a more senior assistant how to transfer a patient to bed "quickly". (Image: RTE) Despite protocol being to use a hoist, she showed her how to lift the patient under her arms. She then informed her: "We aren't allowed to do this, it's speedy Gonzales". At nighttime in Beanevin, footage showed a resident being refused the toilet, and told to go on his incontinence pad. A nurse then gets agitated and tells him not to go on his sheets as they don't have any more. The man was then heard calling for help multiple times but no one responded. On another occasion, the same elderly man was found by the undercover reporter lying on a soaking wet bare mattress without any bedsheets. (Image: RTE) Speaking at the end of the documentary, Professor Robinson said the footage shows "systemic and institutional lack of consideration for the older person. "This is going to shorten people's lives and their lives will be more miserable." RTÉ Investigates said findings have been reported by RTÉ researchers to HIQA, and the local nursing home management where applicable. It also said the findings of the investigation have been shared with the private nursing home group and RTÉ has offered them due right of reply. In a statement, Emeis Ireland said: "It is not, nor will it ever be our policy to understaff any of our nursing homes. (Image: RTE) "Staff should only be released for in service training when sufficient staff remains in place to meet resident needs. "The allocation and utilisation of staff resources across both nursing homes is also the subject of this review. "It is not acceptable for residents to wait for care or to be dismissed when requesting assistance. We take these matters very seriously and we do not tolerate such practices... "We acknowledge and sincerely apologise to residents and their families for the distress caused by the failings identified. This is not the standard we expect and not the standards that residents or their families deserve."
