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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Northern Ireland care homes: Admissions policy review recommended | Northern Ireland care homes: Admissions policy review recommended |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Health Trusts across Northern Ireland are being asked to review their admissions policy for older people going into residential care homes. | Health Trusts across Northern Ireland are being asked to review their admissions policy for older people going into residential care homes. |
| It follows a consultation into the future of residential care by Northern Ireland's Health and Social Care Board. | It follows a consultation into the future of residential care by Northern Ireland's Health and Social Care Board. |
| Last year there was a public outcry over plans to close 18 NHS homes. | Last year there was a public outcry over plans to close 18 NHS homes. |
| But the board has now reiterated the health minister's pledge that all current homes will remain open as long as residents want to stay in them. | But the board has now reiterated the health minister's pledge that all current homes will remain open as long as residents want to stay in them. |
| Highly emotive | |
| The proposed closure of all of Northern Ireland's NHS residential care homes triggered an angry response among residents, families and staff last year. | The proposed closure of all of Northern Ireland's NHS residential care homes triggered an angry response among residents, families and staff last year. |
| That resulted in Health Minister Edwin Poots stepping in and ordering the Health and Social Care Board to manage this highly emotive issue. | That resulted in Health Minister Edwin Poots stepping in and ordering the Health and Social Care Board to manage this highly emotive issue. |
| The board has now finished its consultation and has made a number of recommendations. | The board has now finished its consultation and has made a number of recommendations. |
| It has recommended that the health trusts review their policy on permanent admissions - that could mean each health trust keeping at least one home open or they could still insist that all homes in their area close. | It has recommended that the health trusts review their policy on permanent admissions - that could mean each health trust keeping at least one home open or they could still insist that all homes in their area close. |
| The four proposed criteria outlined in the consultation document are; | |
| The homes will have to justify retaining their facilities against the above standards. | |
| There are currently 18 homes with 240 permanent residents within the review. | |
| The board said it received over 1,200 responses to its public consultation, with the overriding message from residents being that they did not want to move. | |
| Public money | |
| Its acting chief executive, Fionnuala McAndrew, said:"Many of the views expressed by respondents to the consultation were about wider health and social care issues and concerns about how any proposed changes would be managed. | |
| "Whilst not all respondents were in agreement with the type of change which may result, the majority of respondents did not disagree strongly with the proposed criteria. | |
| "I listened to residents describe the care they receive in the homes, and how their lives have been enriched by living in residential care. | |
| "They told me that the quality of care should be the most important criterion and should be given the highest weighting when assessing homes in the future. | |
| "This was also reflected strongly in the feedback from other respondents. Respondents also agreed that the best use of public money should retain the lowest weighting," Ms McAndrew added. | |
| In April, the health minister said the homes would remain open as long as residents wanted to remain there. |