Kilkenny nursing home to be taken over by HSE to protect safety of residents

A Co Kilkenny nursing home is being taken over by the Health Service Executive from Saturday following cancellation of its registration due to serious concerns about the operator’s capacity to “safeguard” residents.

Aperee Living, in Callan, Co Kilkenny, is home to 46 people. A spokesman for the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) confirmed its chief inspector had “made a decision to cancel the registration of Aperee Living Callan arising from serious concerns about the governance and management of the centre”.

The operator did not appeal the application in court on Thursday and an order was made under section 64 (4) of the 2007 Health Act directing the HSE to take over the home.

This is the third Aperee Living nursing home to be deregistered in the last month, the others being in Ballygunner, Co Waterford, and in Balgooly, near Kinsale in Co Cork.

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Apree Living still runs seven nursing homes in counties Cork, Kerry and Galway.

[ Group chief of Aperee Living nursing homes resigned over ‘financial integrity’ concerns ]

In its most recent inspection report on the Callan home, published in September, Hiqa stated it was not assured “governance and management of the centre especially in areas of residents’ finances and in areas of continued noncompliance…had been addressed by the provider”.

It continued: “During this inspection, actions resulting from the previous inspection in July 2022 were reviewed and inspectors found that the commitments outlined in the centre’s compliance plans had not been fully actioned, specifically in relation to fire safety, the premises, and governance and management. Additionally, this inspection found that the staffing arrangements in the centre were not sufficiently robust to ensure a sustainable and safe staffing model.”

[ Residents of Dublin nursing home not provided with any activities, Hiqa finds ]

At an Oireachtas committee last month, Hiqa said it had referred concerns about the inappropriate use of residents’ money at Aperee Living nursing homes to the Garda.

A spokesman for the HSE said on Friday it and the Southeast Community Healthcare (SECH) was liaising with Aperee Living Ltd and would “take interim charge of the nursing home from 12am, Saturday 4th of November, 2023. By invitation, the HSE/SECH is on site in Callan from 2pm this afternoon Friday 3rd of November.

“The HSE/SECH wish to assure everyone that its focus at this time is ensuring the welfare of the 46 residents at this private nursing home.

[ Residents’ cash used to run nursing homes, Hiqa inspection report finds ]

“We acknowledge that it is a difficult time for the residents and their families. With the Christmas and new year period due, residents will continue living at their home in Callan and there is no plan to wind down the facility at this time.

“The HSE/SECH thanks everyone for their co-operation – including staff of Aperee Living Ltd in Callan, for whom this is also a difficult time.”

A spokeswoman for Aperee Living said the organisation was “working closely with the HSE/SECH and will continue to do so.

“Aperee Living is also working with staff at the facility, families, Nursing Homes Ireland and other stakeholders to ensure that the disruption to the lives of residents is kept to a minimum.”