ALONE: Excellent care 'a right, not a privilege'

A charity has called on the Health Information and Quality Authority to act quickly on nursing homes that are found to provide inadequate services for the elderly.

ALONE, the charity which supports older people in need, made the call in light of the report yesterday from HIQA where nursing home inspectors expressed “grave concern” for the safety and welfare of up to 22 residents at the Owen Riff Nursing Home, Co. Galway.

The HSE took over the operation of the Owen Riff centre on Camp Street in Oughterard last month after the inspection by HIQA in April.

Seán Moynihan, CEO of ALONE, said: "ALONE strongly supports the work of HIQA and the inspections of private nursing homes across the country. We urge swift action by HIQA on private nursing homes which are not providing an adequate level of service for older persons."

ALONE has also called on HIQA to ensure that enough resources are being allocated to carry out spot checks on private nursing homes and to ensure that swift action is taken to address any issues of poor quality service.

They also urged owners and board members of private nursing homes to ensure that the quality of service being provided at their homes is excellent and in line with best practice.

Mr Moynihan said" "We are gravely concerned about the continuous issues arising in relation to the quality of service in certain private nursing homes. Excellent care provision in nursing homes should not be a privilege, but a right.

"We urge owners of private nursing homes to take full responsibility for the level of service provision in their facilities. This is an ongoing problem that requires swift and very decisive action to ensure older people who require the services of private nursing homes, and their families, can be guaranteed of the best services possible."

"It is unacceptable that residents in this nursing home found themselves vulnerable and victims of neglect and inadequate services. We urge anyone who has concerns about the wellbeing of an older person in a nursing home to contact HIQA or ALONE, and we can act on their behalf."