Talks ongoing for 'new management' at Clifton Nursing Home after 9 deaths from Covid-19

THE Department of Health has said that "an alternative provider" has come forward which could mean residents at Clifton Nursing Home in north Belfast may not have to be relocated.

In a statement the department said that discussions were ongoing.

The assessment process comes after the health minister Robin Swann took the unprecedented step last Friday of announcing that residents at Clifton Nursing Home were to be "relocated" during the pandemic due to concerns about "the way it is being run".

There have been nine Covid-19 related deaths at the home which is to be closed following inspections by the care home regulator, the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA).

The Irish News revealed today that Stormont minister Nichola Mallon alerted the health minister a month ago about concerns among staff over the lack of suitable personal protective equipment (PPE) and testing for coronavirus.

Mr Swann did not contact the Infrastructure minister personally but she received a reply a week later where she was given departmental "assurances" about the facility's management of coronavirus infection control measures and PPE supplies.

The Department of Health said it had ongoing concerns for some time about the home, which is operated by Runwood Homes.

In a statement yesterday Runwood Homes said that 29 of the 89 residents residents were diagnosed with Covid-19.

It said the nine residents who died all had pre-existing or underlying health conditions "and we extend our sincerest condolences to those families affected".

Twenty other residents have since recovered, the statement said.

"The RQIA visit did raise an issue with management oversight at a local level, this was in the latter stages of a very difficult time for the service and the wider sector," the statement said.

"All staff worked incredibly hard to maintain good standards of care within the service.

"At no point, was resident care noted to be anything but of a good standard and the willingness and professionalism of staff is acknowledged."

The company said it accepted that environmental standards were "not where they needed to be".

But it said that "every care home across the sector has had to prepare and react to a virus that we know very little about.

"Our recovery rate to Covid-19 at this service is that 89 per cent of residents remained Covid-19 free or have recovered from the virus.

"We are working through the necessary improvements with the RQIA who have been very supportive."

The Department of Health said it was continuing to closely monitor the situation and that Friday's announcement had "led to an alternative provider coming forward with a potential solution".

"Those discussions are not yet concluded,"the department said yesterday.

"It is hoped the plans will result in residents having the choice of remaining in the home under the care of a new management team – should that be their preferred option."

The department acknowledged the move had been "very distressing for residents and their families".

"The safety and best interests of residents and their families must always be paramount," it said.

"The Department and minister are assured that the HSC system is working very hard to put things right at Clifton Nursing Home."

:: In a Page 1 story yesterday leading to our full coverage on Page 4 (Mallon told Swann of Clifton staff's concerns a month ago) Clifton Nursing Home was incorrectly described as Clifton House. We regret the error.