Harney rejects FG's nursing home claim

Minister for Health Mary Harney has rejected Fine Gael TD's claim that her department received a "damning" report about conditions at a Cork city nursing home but failed to act.

Front bench spokesman Fergus O'Dowd told the Dáil today a report commissioned by the Southern Health Board into conditions at the home was sent to the Department of Health in September 2004.

The report had recommended that patients not be sent to St Albert's Nursing Home in Sunday's Well because of the conditions found by the management consultant who compiled it.

The home, which was formerly owned by a GP, changed ownership in January 2006 and is now under new management.

According to Mr O'Dowd, the report detailed a number of serious problems at the home. It found that one patient, who was transferred to hospital without the family being informed, was found to have untreated pressure sores, bruising, dehydration and a chest infection.

Other patients had their clothes missing or were wearing other patients' clothes and there was evidence that one female patient walked out of the home without being noticed. Dividing curtains between patients were too small and one man's mattress was found to be on the floor.

"The report concluded that the home in question was in breach of no less than 20 regulations or codes and it recommended that 'ill old people should not be referred to this nursing home'," Mr O'Dowd said.

He claimed that Ms Harney's department failed to act to address the situation at the home, "despite being in possession of the most damning information imaginable".

He told the Dáil: "This Government allows people to be treated in an appalling way. But in this nursing home, they cannot escape the reality that they were told about it, that it was on the Minister's desk, and the Minister did not act, did not protect those people."

Speaking this afternoon, Ms Harney said the standards in St Albert's were a matter for the Southern Health Board, which had commissioned the report and acted fully on its recommendations.

"Deputy O'Dowd quotes that report as if it were some great discovery," she told RTÉ News. "It was the health board that were unhappy with what they had been hearing that asked for that management consultant to go in and make recommendations.

"He reported in September 2004 and his recommendations were acted upon immediately in respect of that nursing home," Ms Harney said.

"I am assured [by the Health Service Executive] that they are satisfied that the nursing home in question is operating now to the highest possible standards." Ms Harney added that there have been eight inspections of St Albert's since the new owners took over 12 months ago.

Ms Harney said the "robust" new legislation on nursing homes would see an independent inspectorate covering both public and private sectors. Huge resources would be made available to ensure standards were maintained, she insisted.