by Martina | Dec 28, 2024 | News
The Alliance – Supporting Nursing Homes organised a rally in collaboration with the community on the picturesque Dingle Peninsula to support Ocean View Care Home and preserve it for care of the elderly on the peninsula.
Shane Scanlan highlighted it is crucial for The Office of the Chief Inspector within HIQA to align its actions in relation to Ocean View with its expressed concerns about the increasing closures of small community-based nursing homes.
Link to rte article: https://www.rte.ie/news/munster/2024/1228/1488345-kerry-nursing-home/
by Martina | Oct 8, 2024 | News
Shane Scanlan CEO, attended a meeting this morning at the Gibson Hotel Dublin as part of the Reference Group for the Commission on Care for Older People. Valuable insights from Catherine McGuigan, Alan Barrett, Sean Flood and Fiona Walsh were shared
After Lunch, productive discussions at Leinster House covered supports for Ocean View Nursing Home on the Dingle Peninsula, Garda vetting services for Nursing homes, and crisis management in the nursing home sector.
by Martina | Sep 20, 2024 | News
RTE Radio 1 Drive Time today with Shane Scanlan CEO, to discuss the very upsetting and concerning situation developing in Oceanview Nursing Home on the Dingle Peninsula, Co.Kerry.
Link to radio interview: https://www.rte.ie/radio/podcasts/22434814-the-latest-twist-in-efforts-to-save-a-rural-west-k/
by Martina | Aug 20, 2024 | News
The Alliance – Supporting Nursing Homes had a productive meeting today at the Department of Health – Ireland with Minister for Older Persons Mary Butler TD and Department Officials.
We made a pre-budget submission advocating for our members and the nursing home sector.
Our representatives, deeply embedded in the industry, ensure accurate, first-hand information delivery to elected officials.
Budget 2025 will be pivotal for our rapidly ageing population.
by Martina | Jul 2, 2024 | News
The Alliance – Supporting Nursing Homes expresses gratitude to TD Richard Boyd Barrett for highlighting the crucial matter of Garda Vetting in the Nursing Home Sector to An Taoiseach Simon Harris.
Progress is being made towards registering The Alliance for Vetting Services for Nursing Homes.
Members of our Alliance will soon hope to have access to Garda Vetting at a cost of €3 per vetting on a non-profit basis. Surplus funds generated will be reinvested to enhance support and services for residents in our member nursing homes.
Link for full video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XTrEtyqjiI
This one is a worth a watch!!
by Martina | Jun 18, 2024 | News
The Alliance – Supporting Nursing Homes had its inaugural meeting as a member of the Reference Group for the Commission on Care for Older People.
Catherine McGuigan chaired the meeting, which included a passionate and heartfelt opening address from Minister of State for Older Persons Mary Butler TD.
The Reference Group serves as a crucial communication pathway between the Commission and wider society, fostering engagement with stakeholders in the care for older persons.
by Martina | May 8, 2024 | News
The Alliance was delighted to attend Houses of the Oireachtas today to relay issues and concerns at present within the nursing home sector that affect residents, staff and nursing home operators.
Thanks to all TD’s, Senators and Department of Health – Ireland officials who attended to give us support.
All representatives for The Alliance today actively work in the Nursing Home Sector ensuring the information we provide is accurate and direct from source.
A sincere thank you to Deputy Partricia Ryan Sinn Féin for organising.
by Martina | Apr 24, 2024 | News
The Alliance was delighted to attend the HIQA – Health Information and Quality Authority office’s in Dublin today for the launch of Lexicon for Social Care
The Lexicon provides a list of commonly-used words relevant to social care, along with a definition. The use of standardised language is important for clarity and consistency.
Spokesperson Shane Scanlan relayed to representatives of HIQA and The Office of The Chief Inspector that a further Lexicon is now required As Gaeilge for residents, staff and registered providers of nursing homes who speak Irish on a daily basis.
by Martina | Mar 13, 2024 | News
The Alliance had the privilege of participating in a multi-stakeholder National Policy Dialogue Event on the Long-term Care Sector in Ireland, in collaboration with the World Health Organization and members of the European Commission at the Department of Health buildings.
The event was excellently moderated by Stefania Ilinca of the World Health Organisation
We look forward to further collaboration for the benefit of Irelands Ageing Population, our workforce and all organisations that provide care services.
by Martina | Feb 29, 2024 | News
Listen to the RTÉ Drivetime Report on our Expo in Thomond Park that took place in February 2024:
Listen Here
by Martina | Feb 28, 2024 | News
We had our Inaugural “Shoulder to Shoulder” Nursing Home Expo on February 28th 2024 in Thomond Park Limerick. The Alliance fervently champions the cause of Nursing Homes and their residents, tirelessly advocating for their members through continuous engagement with Government Officials, the Department of Health, the National Treatment Purchase Fund, the Health Information and Quality Authority and numerous other stakeholders in the nursing home sector.
The Expo was led by keynote speakers such as Minister of Older Persons Mary Butler and Deputy Chief Inspector Susan Cliffe, as well as many more voices from the Nursing Home Sector.
Thanks to Dr Ciara Kelly from Newstalk for being our MC on the day!
by Martina | Feb 5, 2024 | News
Nursing home providers, health professionals and politicians will gather at Thomond Park in Limerick on February 28th for a conference focusing on the future of nursing homes and the challenges faced by the sector.
Mary Butler TD, Minister of State with responsibility for Mental Health and Older People, will perform the opening address at The Alliance “Shoulder To Shoulder” Nursing Home Expo 2024, which is being hosted by Ireland’s newest and second largest trade association for nursing homes with the support of The Shannon Region and Conference Bureau and Guerin Media.
The closure of 60 nursing home closures during the past five years, the dangers of a multinational operator-dominated sector and the need for a revised funding model in light of Ireland’s ageing population are amongst the key issues set to dominate the conference.
The one-day inaugural event will feature an address entitled ‘Solutions for an ageing population’ by Sinn Féin Health spokesperson David Cullinane ahead of a political panel discussion chaired by Newstalk presenter, former GP and columnist Dr. Ciara Kelly and featuring Michael McNamara TD (Independent), Patricia Ryan TD (Sinn Féin spokesperson for Older People), Senator Timmy Dooley (Fianna Fáil) and Richard O’Donoghue TD (Independent).
Susan Cliffe, Deputy Chief Inspector of HIQA, and Auriol Kelly, Business Manager for PTSB, will address the key nursing home industry issues of regulation and finance, while a panel discussion centering on the importance of further education will feature contributions from Niamh Condon of Dining With Dignity, Jonathan Murphy of Griffith College, Wendy Blakely of Strategic Thinking, and Carmel Kelly and Clodagh Killeen of LHP Skillnet. There will also be a few surprise guests on the day providing insights on leadership and team building.
“Nursing homes are at a critical juncture and it’s time for change” commented Shane Scanlan, CEO of The Alliance Supporting Nursing Homes.
Mr. Scanlan, who is the Director of Nursing for a small family-owned nursing home in County Kerry, added, “A significant number of nursing homes have closed since 2018 and while the funding model afforded to Nursing Homes has served its purpose for a period since its introduction in 2009 with the establishment of the Fair Deal scheme, we have reached a tipping point for the sector where we must decide the changes required to adequately fund the care of Ireland’s increasingly ageing population.”
“As a group of people who actively works within the sector, The Alliance membership believes official representation of our sector must improve and should comprise of those directly working in the industry,” he continued. “We are seeing consolidation in the nursing home market from large operators which take a huge percentage of nursing home beds presently and, most likely, into the future if the current trend persists. A blended model of independent, public, voluntary and private equity funded operators is favoured over the sector being controlled by 8 to 15 large multinational operators, which would be detrimental for an ageing population.”
Mr. Scanlan said recent reports from HIQA and the ESRI have highlighted how the current funding model is no longer fit-for-purpose and has led to regional inequalities in funding with a widening of the gap between the number of beds per capita in rural areas compared to that of Dublin and the commuter belt counties.
“The Alliance is fighting for a cost of care model to be introduced where the funding in relation to residents’ care follows the individual resident on a case-by-case basis and is centred on their care needs which, in turn, would adequately fund nursing homes for all residents under their care,” he explained.
“Community-based nursing homes are no different to other local services in terms of their socio-economic benefit to the communities in which they operate,” stated Mr. Scanlan. “They allow for people to be cared for in their communities and create substantial employment which has a positive knock-on impact for local suppliers. Community-based nursing homes provide an added incentive for government to support the sector and we are very much looking forward to hearing Minister Butler outline the Government’s plans to deal with the key issues affecting our sector.”
Visit www.theallianceirl.com for more details on The Alliance “Shoulder To Shoulder” Nursing Home Expo 2024 at Thomond Park, Limerick, on Wednesday, February 28th.
Article by Dunphy Communications from Dunphy Communications
