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Irish Examiner
21-07-2025
- Health
- Irish Examiner
We will repeat Áras Attracta and Emeis scandals until we ensure care is people-centred
The recent RTÉ Investigates programme Inside Ireland's Nursing Homes lifted the lid on practices that have rightly been termed 'neglect' and 'abuse' by experts and family members. Images of older people being left for long periods in pain and discomfort, denied toilet facilities, and pleading for assistance which never came have shocked many people who did not know what was happening behind closed doors. They do, however, closely mirror similar images from an earlier programme, Inside Bungalow 3 — Áras Attracta, also produced by RTÉ Investigates in 2014. In that exposé, adults with intellectual disabilities were roughly handled, slapped and left unattended for long periods. Similarities between the two exposés There are some differences between these two programmes. One was based in a private setting and the other was public. There were different services models, one a nursing home and the other a disability centre. And there were different groups of people, one, older adults, and the other adults with intellectual disabilities. Despite this, there are significant similarities, and one must ask 'why?'. We know that care settings are by their nature complex environments where communication may be impacted by cognitive or intellectual impairment. Moreover, the simultaneous presentation of physical, health, behavioural, emotional, and welfare needs can provide significant challenges to care and support. The dynamic and individual nature of such issues demands a skilled and person-centred response from the service and those providing direct care: this was patently absent in both instances — at organisational and service delivery levels. Caregiving is about human relationships Perhaps the most striking underlying failures for me were in respect of 'knowing' the other person. Communication in healthcare is usually defined as a process that involves dialogue, engagement, active listening, feedback, clarity, and empathy. It encompasses both verbal and non-verbal means of expression. In nursing practice, this has been described as a 'helping relationship … without which no support can be offered to patients at any life stage.' Caregiving is grounded in caregivers recognising themselves as being in a relationship with another human being. Within a caring context, one would presume that this should be a positive and enriching relationship. One might also presume that this would be premised on knowing the other person, something that comes from actually spending time with the other person. There are many contrasts between Áras Attracta and the Emeis facilities exposed in 'RTÉ Investigates: Inside Ireland's Nursing Homes' earlier this year. But both had much in common in terms of a lack of human interaction. Picture: RTÉ This may seem quite obvious, but it is interesting to note in both programmes that the interactions between staff and those in receipt of their service were few and far between, and when they occurred, they were often functional, impersonal, and lacking in any positive communication. The lack of opportunities to know the person whom one is supporting, may contribute to a concurrent failure to see them as human beings but as objects to be moved and managed. Instances of this were seen both in the Áras Attracta and Emeis investigations. Whereas every health and social care professional is individually accountable to their regulatory body for the care provided, they may also be legally accountable for action/inaction that negatively impact other people. Fintan Sheerin, the professor of nursing and founding head of the new School of Nursing at Maynooth University, acted as a consultant on the RTÉ Investigates exposés. Organisations must also be held accountable for ensuring that they provide adequate resources to meet the support needs and wishes of those in their care. They must also ensure that there is a proper skill mix among staff, particularly in respect of complex interactions, to allow for the development of person-centeredness that is grounded in relationships and knowing of the other person. If organisations fail to take heed of these responsibilities, it is likely that we will see further programmes such as Inside Ireland's Nursing Homes and Inside Bungalow 3. • Fintan Sheerin was consultant to RTÉ Investigates for Inside Bungalow 3, Creches — Behind Closed Doors, and Inside Ireland's Nursing Homes. He is the professor of nursing and founding head of the new School of Nursing at Maynooth University which opens this autumn.
Sunday World
18-06-2025
- Health
- Sunday World
Over 230 allegations of abuse made against two nursing homes with staff reported to gardaí
Breaking | Some staff in the nursing homes featured in a damning TV exposé have been reported to gardai, An image from RTÉ Investigates - Inside Ireland's Nursing Homes. The allegations were made against Beneavin Manor in Glasnevin in Dublin. There were 40 notifications of allegations of abuse at the Residence in Portlaoise which featured in the same programme. Some staff in the nursing homes featured in a damning TV exposé have been reported to gardai, according to the report. Emeis, the owners of the two nursing homes featured showing litany of repeated care failings in two nursing homes, have also been told at a face-to-face meeting the facilities will be closed unless they ensure residents will no longer be treated in an 'inhumane' manner. The revelations are contained in a report from the regulator, the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) which inspects nursing homes. The report to the Minister for Older People, Kieran O'Donnell, comes on foot of the RTÉ Investigates undercover revelations about the nursing were found to have a litany of failings in undercover footage including chronic staff shortages, vulnerable residents left unsupervised, the inappropriate handling of frail older people and a lack of basic supplies such as towels, bedsheets, gloves and sanitary wipes. Hiqa said the notifications of allegations of abuse "does not necessarily indicate a non-compliant service, and often means a strong culture of recognising and submitting incidents which fall into the required notification categories". 'They can include a wide range of incidents such as residents' altercations with other residents, the tone that someone is spoken to, through to more significant suspicions or allegations." Hiqa and Mr O' Donnell will appear before the Oireachtas health committee Wednesday to be questioned on the oversight of nursing homes. In its report to the minister since the airing of the programme, Hiqa said: 'Senior Emeis Ireland officers, who are also directors of each company operating the two nursing homes, were required to attend a formal warning meeting with the Chief Inspector on June 9 to set out the actions they were taking to ensure the residents in both The Residence Portlaoise and Firstcare Beneavin Manor were safe and were receiving the care that they should. 'Both providers were issued with an official warning of cancellation of registration should they fail to implement significant improvements in the care of residents. 'They were also required to set out how they would be addressing the ineffective systems of oversight, management and supervision, and the staff culture issues in each nursing home which enabled staff members to treat their residents in such an inhumane manner.' They were also required to set out how they would be addressing the ineffective systems of oversight, management and supervision, and the staff culture issues in each nursing home which enabled staff members to treat their residents in such an inhumane manner. Hiqa said the owners gave commitments regarding the care of residents in both homes including that they are currently complying with the condition preventing admissions to The Residence Portlaoise and will continue to comply. They are aware that they cannot admit residents there until the condition is removed. They have voluntarily ceased the admission of any new residents to Firstcare Beneavin Manor until they were assured that the issues were addressed. Management and staffing levels have been increased in both centres with immediate effect. Senior staff from other nursing homes have been deployed to improve the effectiveness of staff supervision in both centres. External, independent consultants have been retained to undertake a root cause analysis of what occurred in both centres, to inform further ongoing actions to be taken by the provider. Staff disciplinary action had been initiated and where appropriate, referrals had been made to An Garda Síochána. Hiqa came under criticism for the favourable report it made on the Glasnevin facility following an inspection in November. 'Hiqa is appalled by the way that residents were treated, and such treatment goes against the core values of Hiqa and its staff.' An image from RTÉ Investigates - Inside Ireland's Nursing Homes. News in 90 Seconds - June 17 Hiqa said: 'It is not possible for inspectors to be in a centre all of the time, and generally, staff that behave in the manner presented on the RTÉ Investigates programme will not behave like that when an inspector is present. Where inspectors have identified poor care and support, this has been detailed in inspection reports and subsequent regulatory action taken. HIQA publishes all nursing home inspection reports on its website to ensure transparency for the public.' It has carried out a series of inspections of the homes since the programme. 'As expected, in the aftermath of the programme, inspectors found that the provider had taken a range of measures to address the immediate risk to residents. Over the three days of inspection of both Firstcare Beneavin Manor and The Residence Portlaoise, inspectors found that issues such as supplies and linen had been addressed. While actions had been taken to improve staffing, further improvements to staffing and staff supervision were required.', said the report. A wider review of homes owned by Emeis is underway. The minister he and Department officials, met with Hiqa on June 4 to discuss regulatory activity relating to the nursing homes featured in the RTÉ Investigates programme. At this meeting the Minister was advised that Hiqa and the Office of the Chief Inspector would continue their intensive engagement with both The Residence Portlaoise and Beneavin Manor, Glasnevin and requested an update on progress by the end of last week. He also asked Hiqa to provide a comprehensive overview of the nursing home operators which are owned by Emeis Ireland. The Chief Inspector has committed to delivering a full report by the end of this week, providing an overview of regulatory history, including but not limited to regulatory compliance, escalating enforcement actions and any additional conditions. Emeis has apologised to residents and their families for the distress caused by the failings identified saying it has launched an in-depth review to immediately address all issues .
Irish Independent
06-06-2025
- Health
- Irish Independent
Cork TD calls for HIQA to appear before PAC following ‘appalling' footage on RTÉ Investigates programme
The footage in RTÉ Investigates – Inside Ireland's Nursing Homes which was broadcast on Wednesday, June 4 details a litany of failings in two homes run by Emeis Ireland, formerly Orpea. The French-owned company has 27 privately-run facilities here, providing more than 2,400 beds. After concerns were raised by several whistleblowers, RTÉ sent two undercover researchers to apply for healthcare assistant roles. They obtained footage from The Residence Portlaoise and Beneavin Manor in Glasnevin, Dublin. Among the breaches detailed were inadequate staffing levels, which at times left one employee looking after 23 residents, and people being refused help to go to the toilet. HIQA has subsequently confirmed that it stopped admissions to the nursing home in Laois prior to the programme being aired. Labour Party TD for Cork North Central Eoghan Kenny expressed concerns that the RTÉ Investigates programme into nursing home care represents but a drop in the ocean of failures across care of older people. Deputy Kenny who is a member of the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee said HIQA have not appeared before the PAC since 2017. 'Given the huge systemic issues within the organisation detailed by RTÉ, I will be proposing inviting HIQA to the PAC with my committee colleagues. The fact that HIQA took over four months to investigate issues identified by RTÉ is beyond belief. We are talking about care of our much loved older people who deserve dignity as they age." 'What we witnessed was utterly appalling,' said Deputy Kenny. 'Credit is due to RTÉ for highlighting this issue. Staff members from other homes have made contact with my office to express their concerns about practices being replicated in their workplace. 'HIQA are failing in their statutory remit to investigate and resolve issues when they arise locally. Given the scale and the nature of what was exposed, it is crucial that we examine in detail the procedures and potential gaps within HIQA to address these urgently. The PAC could work constructively with HIQA representatives on this,' he added. The Cork TD said accountability is 'crucial' to ensure the most vulnerable are protected 'HIQA have a fundamental role to play in ensuring this happens. Accountability is crucial, but so too is ensuring procedures and processes are in place to protect the vulnerable in our society. It's vital that we have the highest standards of care for older people. HIQA have a fundamental role to play in ensuring this happens.'
Irish Independent
06-06-2025
- Health
- Irish Independent
Calls for HIQA to appear before PAC for first time since 2017 – Cork TD critical of their failure to resolve issues
The footage in RTÉ Investigates – Inside Ireland's Nursing Homes which was broadcast on Wednesday, June 4 details a litany of failings in two homes run by Emeis Ireland, formerly Orpea. The French-owned company has 27 privately-run facilities here, providing more than 2,400 beds. After concerns were raised by several whistleblowers, RTÉ sent two undercover researchers to apply for healthcare assistant roles. They obtained footage from The Residence Portlaoise and Beneavin Manor in Glasnevin, Dublin. Among the breaches detailed were inadequate staffing levels, which at times left one employee looking after 23 residents, and people being refused help to go to the toilet. HIQA has subsequently confirmed that it stopped admissions to the nursing home in Laois prior to the programme being aired. Labour Party TD for Cork North Central Eoghan Kenny expressed concerns that the RTÉ Investigates programme into nursing home care represents but a drop in the ocean of failures across care of older people. Deputy Kenny who is a member of the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee said HIQA have not appeared before the PAC since 2017. 'Given the huge systemic issues within the organisation detailed by RTÉ, I will be proposing inviting HIQA to the PAC with my committee colleagues. The fact that HIQA took over four months to investigate issues identified by RTÉ is beyond belief. We are talking about care of our much loved older people who deserve dignity as they age." 'What we witnessed was utterly appalling,' said Deputy Kenny. 'Credit is due to RTÉ for highlighting this issue. Staff members from other homes have made contact with my office to express their concerns about practices being replicated in their workplace. 'HIQA are failing in their statutory remit to investigate and resolve issues when they arise locally. Given the scale and the nature of what was exposed, it is crucial that we examine in detail the procedures and potential gaps within HIQA to address these urgently. The PAC could work constructively with HIQA representatives on this,' he added. The Cork TD said accountability is 'crucial' to ensure the most vulnerable are protected 'HIQA have a fundamental role to play in ensuring this happens. Accountability is crucial, but so too is ensuring procedures and processes are in place to protect the vulnerable in our society. It's vital that we have the highest standards of care for older people. HIQA have a fundamental role to play in ensuring this happens.'
Irish Examiner
04-06-2025
- Health
- Irish Examiner
Taoiseach ‘shocked' by nursing home abuse uncovered in RTÉ investigation
The Taoiseach has said he is "very, very concerned" about care practices in nursing homes. Micheál Martin was speaking ahead of an RTÉ Investigates programme airing tonight, which exposes dire conditions in some privately run facilities. The programme, Inside Ireland's Nursing Homes, features reporters going undercover at two homes: The Residence in Portlaoise and Beneavin Manor in north Dublin. It details a litany of disturbing practices, including: A man being refused a toilet break for 25 minutes due to chronic understaffing A resident repeatedly left in an unchanged incontinence pad despite being able to use the toilet and having requests to do so denied 'Fake' activity logs created to show residents engaged in pursuits that never occurred When asked in Dublin today whether it was acceptable for facilities charging between €1,320 and €1,514 per week to treat older patients this way, Mr Martin said early reports from the programme were alarming. "I'm very, very concerned about it. I think it's shocking what is likely to be revealed following the reports I've seen so far," he said. "I've observed two professors with considerable experience in geriatric medicine and dermatology express their shock and also their very clear observations that this is fundamentally abuse of senior citizens in those nursing homes." Mr Martin said the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa), which oversees nursing homes, is "doing a lot of work to ensure compliance" and has already engaged with the homes featured in the programme. The Taoiseach also noted that the number of people in nursing homes is declining as a proportion of the overall population. "In other words, the policies of home care, the policies of enhancing collective capacity of people to stay at home and to stay out of nursing homes for longer periods, means we have to double down on those policies in terms of home care solutions, in terms of healthcare lifestyle and so on. "So that's working, but that said, there will be times when people who've no option but to go to nursing homes. And it should be the best possible experience." The investigation also shows staff at both facilities ignoring care plans for frail residents, which state that residents should only be moved using hoists. Instead, staff are seen manually lifting residents by their arms or trouser belts — actions explicitly forbidden under manual handling protocols. Read More Investigation shows dire practices at privately-run nursing homes
