Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:-
“For months, if not years, the Health minister has been blaming the Trusts for unpopular proposals to close statutory residential homes. At the heart of the closure strategy lies the moratorium on new admissions, which ensures non-viability, thereby enabling a closure proposal.
“Minister Poots has been ducking and diving on who carries responsibility for this policy. I have long maintained that he has the power to issue a direction to the trusts to permit new admissions, which would be the litmus test of whether he is actually wanting to save the homes, rather than paying lip service to their future. He has persistently sought to dodge the issue.
“Now, through Assembly Questions I have finally forced him to concede that indeed he does have the power I’ve long suggested, but is refusing to exercise it. Thus, leaving homes to haemorrhage out of existence.
“Last month I asked him this Question:-
To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety whether he has the power to issue a policy direction to the Health and Social Care Trusts to lift the restraints on new admissions to statutory care homes.
“His answer was a total avoidance of the issue:-
‘At a public meeting on 12 June the Board of the HSC Board considered and approved the post consultation report on ‘Making Choices: Meeting the Current and Future Needs of Older People’. The report, available on the HSC Board’s website at: http://www.hscboard.hscni.net/consult/Previous%20Consultations/index.html#P-1_0, outlines final criteria which will be used to evaluate statutory residential homes for older people.
‘I have already reassured existing residents that they can remain in their residential home for as long as their needs can safely be met there. In this context I believe that the HSC Board’s process, which will see HSC Trusts asked to review admission policies in respect of homes where the evaluation indicates a strong case for the continued provision of residential care, is an appropriate way forward.’
“I followed it up with this Question:-
Subject: Written Answer AQW 34818/11-15 – Restraints on New Admissions to Statutory Care Homes
To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, pursuant to AQW 34318/11-15, whether he has the power to issue a policy direction to lift the restraints on new admissions to statutory care homes.’
“In his answer he had to admit this:-
‘Under Article 4 of the Departments (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 and Section 6 of the Health and Social Care Reform Act (NI) 2009, directions may be given to HSC Trusts in relation to any functions undertaken by Trusts.
‘In the case of admissions to statutory residential homes, I am confident that the current process, which will see admission policies for homes where there is a strong case for continued residential care provision reviewed, is an appropriate way forward.
‘As we have already asked the Trusts to further consider this in a wholistic way. It would be inappropriate to give direction at this point.’
“So, it is now firmly established that the minister indeed has the relevant legal power to end the moratorium on new admissions, but, shamefully, is failing to exercise it. Thus assisting the haemorrhaging process. It is a nonsense for the minister to say there will be admission policies for homes where “there is a strong case for continued residential care provision”, when permitting admissions is key to establishing that strong case. By continuing to tie their hands behind their backs by blocking new admissions, the minister is denying them the opportunity to prove their viability and thereby is aiding their closure. It is difficult to avoid the conclusion that this is still his aim.”