Firm action or even more hypocrisy? - Confronting the latest scandal

The inhuman, criminal abuse uncovered by RTÉ at Áras Attracta in Swinford, Co Mayo, focuses on a small group of workers entrusted with the care of a number of vulnerable people. However it shames us all and is an appalling indictment of our health service, especially those responsible for its management.

Even more than that, it is a terrible indictment of our political system and our tolerance of that system’s failure and our tacit collusion with it through either reluctance, cowardice, or inability to put in place measures strong enough to have the kind of influence that might have prevented the Áras Attracta outrage. That no one, not the health minister or the Health Service Executive chief, can confidently declare that there are not other Áras Attractas waiting to be uncovered — and yesterday’s report, once again from RTÉ, of what seems to be a very similar pattern at the Redwood Extended Care Facility in Stamullen, Co Meath, suggests there may be — can only deepen already grave concerns. The impact these revelations have on the distressed families of individuals in care can hardly be imagined. They are victims just as those abused by “care” staff are.

As with the litany of scandals uncovered in recent decades, the response is one of outrage and incomprehension that such horrors could happen in a society that imagines itself civilised and Christian. The closing paragraphs of the first act of the drama usually involve solemn declarations that measures to prevent a recurrence will be put in place quickly. Yet scandal after scandal shows that we have a long way to go before we can say we have done all we can to prevent them. Because we are human we will never have a perfect system but we need to do more than we are doing. We need to be far more assertive on behalf of dependent citizens.

One simple change might be ending the practice, the one that some Áras Attracta staff are in, of suspending workers on full pay. They are are on what most of us call holidays. How much more effective it might be if being suspended meant a loss of income? That would be a sanction with real teeth. Of course, a balancing measure must be put in place to prevent employers using that option inappropriately. A small change like this would hardly require a referendum but it might stop a carer abusing a client if suspension might mean they could not pay the mortgage.

Another question, even if it is simplistic, that needs to be answered is, why do we need Health Information and Quality Authority? We are told the HSE is awash with managers. Surely it is part of their job to ensure proper standards are maintained? If they cannot do that, why are they there in the first place? We’ve done the outrage, we’ve even done the contrition and shame. We are at the point when all of that can become another festival of hypocrisy or the catalyst for the hard-nosed change we know is needed. It’s time for the Government to assert its authority and insist on the standards that would protect those dependent on the State’s care. Part of that must be removing those unable or unwilling to meet those standards from our health service.