44 nursing homes closed during covid pandemic up to December 2022

Hiqa has also recorded an increase in group ownership of nursing homes and a corresponding decrease in individuals owning these facilities. Picture: Sam Boal/RollingNews.ie

Some 14 nursing homes closed down last year including one which was closed by the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa), a new report on the sector shows with a loss of 414 beds.

The trend of closure is particularly stark in rural areas in the west of Ireland, inspectors for Hiqa found.