ALMOST 200 ALLEGATIONS of abuse of residents at one of the two nursing homes featured in a recent RTÉ Investigates programme were reported to the country’s health watchdog between the beginning of 2022 and this month. 

The figure was contained in an interim report by the watchdog, released this evening. In the report, it said there were a total of 198 notifications of “Allegation, suspected or confirmed of abuse to a resident” made in relation to Firstcare Beneavin Manor, a nursing home in Glasnevin, Co Dublin.

The second nursing home featured in the programme, The Residence Portlaoise, had 40 notifications of the same description.

The Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) has requested all documents and footage held by RTÉ following its recent undercover documentary into poor care at two nursing homes.

Hiqa has also notified gardaí about the care deficits observed in the documentary. 

The recent RTÉ Investigates programme exposed poor practice in two Emeis Ireland nursing homes and led to the company issuing an apology.

Emeis Ireland operates 27 nursing homes across the country. 

The Residence Nursing Home in Portlaoise, one of two which feature in the RTÉ Investigates Programme Rollingnews.ie Rollingnews.ie

Hiqa will appear before the Oireachtas Health Committee tomorrow to answer questions about standards of care in nursing homes. 

It confirmed in its opening statements given to the committee and seen by The Journal that it has requested the documents and footage held by RTÉ and that the broadcaster has said it will assist in whatever way it can.

Hiqa said that since the documentary aired, it has carried out a number of unannounced inspections, including during the night, at the two facilities – Firstcare Beneavin Manor, in Dublin and the Residence Portlaoise, in Laois.

Angela Fitzgerald, the CEO of Hiqa, will tell the committee tomorrow that the conduct of staff witnessed in the documentary was “wholly unacceptable in any circumstance”. 

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“Fundamentally, what we witnessed constituted a breach of basic human rights which can never be condoned,” she said in her opening statement. 

She said the providers of the two nursing homes in the documentary have been issued with an official warning of cancellation of registration should they fail to implement significant improvements in the centres. 

“Since this programme, our inspectors have spoken with a number of families and residents to hear about their experience. It is clear that Emeis Ireland has significant work to do.

“HIQA fully accepts that we also have work to do in relation to reviewing our regulatory process. We are fully committed to examining what we can learn from recent revelations, and we have commenced work in this regard,” Fitzgerald said. 

Minister for Older People Kieran O’Donnell and Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, with Department of Health officials, met with Hiqa today to discuss the interim report, a statement from the HSE said.

The content and findings of the interim report is being considered along with a full report which is due from Hiqa by the end of this week.