The shocking treatment and neglect of elderly residents in two private nursing homes, as highlighted by RT\u00c9 Investigates tonight, must be a catalyst for change, according to Social Democrats health spokesperson P\u00e1draig Rice.<\/p>\n
Deputy Rice said:<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was difficult at times to watch the harrowing footage broadcast this evening. Such appalling breaches are the result of nursing homes being understaffed and under resourced, where the bottom line appears to come before the dignity of vulnerable residents.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe proportion of nursing home beds in Ireland provided by the private for-profit sector has increased dramatically from 32 per cent in 1990 to 81 per cent in 2023. Clearly, this model of large operators, financed by international private equity, is dominating the sector and does not serve the best interests of older people.<\/p>\n
\u201cA 2021 HIQA paper, entitled \u2018The Need for Regulatory Reform\u2019, highlighted the risks involved in concentrating care within a small number of large providers, referring to it as a \u2018very real and genuine concern for the Irish social care sector\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cMeanwhile, smaller independent nursing homes are shutting down all over the country.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe problems with the State\u2019s reliance on the private model were laid bare during the pandemic. We need to have a serious conversation about the de-privatisation of nursing homes and begin investing heavily in our public care infrastructure.<\/p>\n
\u201cDespite talk of reform, no such change has occurred \u2013 if anything, this heavily privatised model has just accelerated.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn addition, we still do not have long-promised safeguarding legislation, and private nursing homes are still not within the remit of the HSE’s safeguarding policy. This means HSE social workers do not have the right to enter private nursing homes.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need a totally new model of care for older people, one which recognises that most would prefer to stay in their homes. The State should be supportive of that because older people deserve a meaningful choice in how and where they choose to live.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn 2017, Simon Harris said that home care needed to be put on a statutory footing. However, eight years later and we are still waiting for this. And while successive Ministers for Health dithered, private equity and real estate investment funds capitalised on their inaction.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to stop funnelling older people into nursing homes as the default response. What is required is a whole new approach to their care \u2013 one that respects their wishes and supports them to live as independently as possible.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we saw on RT\u00c9 tonight is shocking and unacceptable. It is the consequence\u00a0of allowing elder care to be viewed only as a product to extract maximum profit.\u201d<\/p>\n
June 4, 2025<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The shocking treatment and neglect of elderly residents in two private nursing homes, as highlighted by RT\u00c9 Investigates tonight, must be a catalyst for change, according to Social Democrats health spokesperson P\u00e1draig Rice. Deputy Rice said: \u201cIt was difficult at times to watch the harrowing footage broadcast this evening. Such appalling breaches are the result […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":12553,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,717,642,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12631","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health","category-nursing-homes","category-padraig-rice","category-press-release"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n