Attorney General urged to enforce care home scheme by families
FAMILIES of care home residents have appealed to the Attorney General to intervene to bring an end to enforced separation of families across Northern Ireland.
They have instructed Belfast solicitor Kevin Winters to write to Brenda King asking her to force care homes to implement the care home partnership scheme, which was set up to allow a nominated person visitation rights with residents throughout the pandemic.
Mr Winters, from KRW Law, said families had been forced to act in a desperate bid to bring to an end “the ever deepening entrenched crisis” in the care home sector.
“Families longing to visit the elderly are crying out for consistency across all care homes,” he said.
“We’re now calling on the Attorney General to use her offices to give legislative effect to the guidance provided by the Department of Health.”
In September last year, the Health Minister announced details of the care home partnership scheme, which involved funding, advice and support.
Under the latest visiting restrictions for healthcare settings, care home partners are allowed to continue visiting their loved ones.
However, only a minimal number of care homes have implemented the scheme to date.
Last week, Health Minister Robin Swann said he was frustrated at the lack of uptake and said he has not ruled out the introduction of legislation to force care homes to sign up to the scheme. However, he said such a move would take time so he would prefer to engage with the sector.
Last night, Julieann Mcnally from CHASNI (Care Home Advice and Support), said she was
bitterly disappointed that families had felt forced to write to the Attorney General in an attempt to bring an end to their suffering.
She said: “This is enforced separation. We are concerned that visits to care homes as they were pre-covid, where families can pop in to a home at any time to see their loved one, are not going to return this year.
“That’s why it is even more important that the situation regarding the care home partner scheme is resolved sooner rather than later. We’re not advocating a free for all, the care home partner scheme enables a nominated person to spend time with their loved one in a safe and managed way. We have been inundated with people who are so distressed because they aren’t being allowed to see their relative and some people whose loved ones passed away without them seeing them again.
“Until this is addressed, there will continue to be elderly and vulnerable care home residents who will pass away without feeling the touch of their loved one in the final months of their lives. The enforced separation is causing misery and is also leading to a rapid decline in the health of many care home residents. It’s absolutely heartbreaking.”
‘This is leading to a decline in the health of residents’