Latest news with #carefailings
Irish Times
09-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Boss of care home group in RTÉ Investigates says his ‘resignation' was mistakenly filed with Companies Office
The chief executive of a nursing home group wants the High Court to rectify an official record incorrectly stating he resigned as a director. Two of the company's homes featured in a recent RTÉ Investigates programme. Neal McGroarty, CEO of Emeis Ireland Ltd, says human error had caused his name to be entered by mistake on one of a large volume of documents filed with the Companies Registration Office (CRO) to notify the resignation of director Alan Donnelly with effect from May 9. The name on the form should have been that of Mr Donnelly, who also resigned as director of 30 companies in the group, which has a total of 33 companies. READ MORE Mr McGroarty says adverse publicity already in the public domain about the company's business affairs had been compounded by the erroneous filing to the CRO. As only the High Court can approve the rectification of such an error, Emeis applied for a hearing before a judge to have it rectified. That hearing was due to take place at the end of this month. On Wednesday, Emeis asked Mr Justice Brian Cregan to give an earlier hearing of its application over the incorrect filing as it has affected the reputation of the company and Mr McGroarty. It may also cause stress for the residents and their families as it creates an incorrect impression of uncertainty, it was claimed. The RTÉ programme, broadcast on June 4, showed multiple examples of alleged care failings and neglect of vulnerable older residents at two nursing homes run by Emeis Ireland. In an affidavit, Mr McGroarty said significant media attention had focused on the company and he had been questioned by the media as to why he had supposedly stepped down as a director when in fact he had not. Emeis is seeking a court order requiring the CRO to remove the relevant B10 form that was filed, rectify it and reinstate Mr McGroarty as director.
Irish Times
08-06-2025
- Health
- Irish Times
The Irish Times view on Ireland's nursing homes: the need for fundamental reform
The scenes broadcast on the recent RTÉ Investigates programme were deeply upsetting. It showed multiple examples of unacceptable care failings and neglect of vulnerable older residents in two private nursing homes. This comes twenty years after a similar expose on shocking conditions and work practices in the private Leas Cross Nursing Home in Swords, which triggered the landmark Leas Cross review by Professor Des O'Neill, and a subsequent programme of reform of the nursing home and home care sectors. Since then, we have had the creation of Hiqa to set standards, monitor compliance, and inspect all nursing homes. It also has the power to shut down non-compliant facilities. But it is clear that despite this increased regulation, some nursing home patients are still being failed. As was highlighted in the Leas Cross report, and now again in the RTÉ Investigates programme, staffing remains a core issue; both in numbers as well as training levels and oversight. The way checks are conducted on nursing homes by Hiqa must also be examined, as underlined by Taoiseach, Micheál Martin this weekend . The organisation has played an important role in improving standards, but there are questions about how these are monitored. READ MORE The issues raised are bigger than the specific failings shown in the report. Ireland needs to reconsider its whole system of care for vulnerable older adults in need of longer-term nursing care. The number of nursing home beds in Ireland increased by 12 per cent between 2013 and 2023, to over 32,000. About 440, or 80 per cent, of our nursing homes are private, or voluntary. Many smaller family run nursing homes, particularly in rural areas, have closed in recent years, with others bought up by large international for-profit companies. There is also a trend towards building larger nursing homes with more beds. We have a growing, ageing population with projections that we need potentially thousands more nursing home beds in the next two decades. But is our current model of nursing home care provision and significant outsourcing to the private sector really the best way forward? We have largely moved away from congregated institutional-type settings for the care of people with intellectual disabilities and mental health. Is this an option for many older adults needing care? The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted how isolated and vulnerable those in private nursing homes can be, and the differences in their care and entitlements compared to their public counterparts. While there have been increased supports provided to private nursing homes since then, and a raft of new regulations, it is clearly not enough. It is tinkering around the edges of a system, important parts of which look broken. More comprehensive reform is needed.
BreakingNews.ie
05-06-2025
- 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
