Authority lifts ban on Co Antrim care home admitting residents

A CARE home in trouble over safety breaches has been allowed to admit new residents again after addressing concerns.

New admissions were banned at Glenabbey Manor, which cares for elderly people and dementia patients, amid concerns for the safety of people living at the facility.

The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) imposed a number of sanctions on the facility after an unannounced inspection at the home in Glengormley, which is operated by Runwood Homes, on February 13 and 14.

During the visit, it emerged that two residents had fallen at the home and required medical care.

However, the RQIA had not been informed of the incidents by the home — despite this being required by law.

It was the second time a failure to adhere to legislation relating to accidents and injuries sustained by residents had not been followed at the home.

It also emerged that staff had been left in charge of the home despite the fact they had not completed the necessary assessment to prove they were capable of carrying out the role.

The RQIA said this had the potential to place residents at risk of harm.

As a result, the regulatory body issued three failure to comply notices relating to standards in the Co Antrim home, including a notice of proposal to cease admissions.

The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority carried out an inspection six weeks later and deemed standards at the home had improved sufficiently to remove the notices and ban on new admissions.

A spokesman from the RQIA said: “On March 26, RQIA conducted a detailed inspection at Glenabbey Manor residential care home to assess progress in addressing the concerns we identified in late February.

“RQIA was pleased to note that the management of this home had fully addressed RQIA’s concerns, achieving compliance with regulations.

“As a result, RQIA also withdrew the notice of proposal to cease admissions to Glenabbey Manor.

“The safety and well-being of everyone living at this home is of paramount importance to RQIA, and we will continue to monitor this service through our ongoing regulatory activities.”

Runwood Homes is the same company that operated Ashbrooke Care Home in Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, which was forced to close last year after regulators said that conditions in the facility posed a serious risk to life.

The company has confirmed that it is currently appealing the decision.

It also owns Dunmurry Manor, situated on the outskirts of Belfast, which has been the centre of a number of official probes over conditions at the facility.

❝ RQIA will continue to monitor this service through our ongoing regulatory activities