Nursing homes ‘cutting corners’ for profit

NURSING home owners are “cutting corners” to boost profits and are facing little, if no, sanctions, the country’s health chief for elderly care claimed yesterday.

As seven nursing homes remain suspended from admitting new residents, mainly due to staff level concerns, an Oireachtas committee was told health authorities’ hands are tied due to “cumbersome” legislation. Aidan Browne, the HSE’s national director for primary, community and continuing care services, said: “Sanctions available to the HSE are largely limited or almost absent.”

He said there was no leverage with the private nursing home sector. Suspending admissions to homes was the best sanctioning method as it reduced owner earnings, Mr Browne said.

He added that pursuing a legal process was lengthy and cumbersome.

However, Mr Browne agreed with Green Party TD John Gormley’s assertion that nursing home owners, as business people, were cutting corners for profit.

“It’s true in many instances but it’s true many owners have a very high standard of care,” the senior HSE official said.

The Joint Committee on Health heard the HSE is unable to close nursing homes and can only replace management or not re-register a facility. Nursing home licences are renewed every three years.

A High Court attempt to previously shut down Rostrevor House in Dublin failed without appropriate legislation, Mr Browne said.

Up to 666 inspections have been carried out in private nursing homes this year. The HSE yesterday said 18 teams, made up of medical, environmental and nursing officers, were visiting facilities.

Mr Browne admitted to inadequacies in the role the HSE was playing, acting as the inspectorate along with commissioning private beds for patients. Changes will not take effect, he said, until proposed legislation was implemented.

Oireachtas members were told actions by the former northern health board to protect Leas Cross residents were “not sufficient”.

Prof Des O’Neill, the author of the damning report into 105 deaths at the controversial home, will appear before the Oireachtas committee next Wednesday.

Mr Browne yesterday admitted formal complaints, on behalf of individuals at Leas Cross, have been sent to An Bord Altranais and the Irish Medical Council.

Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy has passed Prof O’Neill’s report to the garda’s National Bureau of Criminal Investigation.