Aperee nursing home staff 'blind-sided' by lack of communication from company

Up to Friday, staff at the Cork nursing home had not received end-of-contract details or forms to apply for welfare

A staff member at the Aperee Living nursing home in Belgooly, Kinsale, Cork, said: 'We are getting more information from the newspapers, from RTÉ News regarding this group of nursing homes, but as individuals working for them, we are not being told anything. File picture: David Creedon

Staff in a Cork nursing home set to close this month say they are extremely frustrated with a lack of communication from the company.

Residents are being moved out of the Aperee Living Belgooly nursing home, following the regulator Hiqa issuing a notice of registration cancellation.

Chef Emer Coughlan has worked there for nine years, starting when it was family-owned and remaining when Aperee Living took over.

“Everyone is disappointed that this is what it’s coming to,” she said. “We were all shocked, absolutely blind-sided [on hearing it would close].” 

Up to Friday, staff had not received details around end-of-contract or paperwork needed to apply for welfare despite repeated requests.

Aperee has appointed a human resources company which Ms Coughlan said head office has told them with be coming down on Monday to liaise with staff about redundancy payments.

That is brilliant. I suppose because of their slowness in coming forward with a plan people are still a bit sceptical but we’re hopeful. 

She added: “We are getting more information from the newspapers, from RTÉ News regarding this group of nursing homes, but as individuals working for them, we are not being told anything.” 

Revelations in Hiqa reports published last month relating to financial concerns have been distressing for the 30 staff. 

“We all feel very hurt over the reports of bad management or care for residents, over what Hiqa has been saying,” she said. “We are upset, and we are ashamed to say we are working with this company.” 

Senator Tim Lombard visited on Thursday, and said 13 residents remained.

“Staff are very frustrated with the lack of communication between themselves and the management,” he said, noting salaries were paid on Friday  instead of Thursday as usual.

“They have huge issues about redundancy and how it is going to work. Some of them have been there over 20 years.” 

He described workers as dedicated, saying: "One employee told me she is buying paper and everything else herself for the office there, because she can’t get an actual budget from them." 

The home set on 14 acres is a beautiful, tranquil place, he said.

“It has an extension that cost €6m in 2019,” he said. 

There are issues with the older part of the house definitely, regarding fire compliance but the new part is as new as you are ever going to get.

Sources familiar with the sector indicated a buyer would have to be found if it is to re-open, and the HSE is unlikely to run it as a public home.

Aperee Living Belgooly has until October 25 to appeal the cancellation. Hiqa said up to Friday they had not been notified of this. 

The HSE in Cork are re-homing residents, and a spokeswoman said they are trying to meet personal preferences “as far as possible”.