The Alliance – Supporting Nursing Homes welcomes the reopening of Ocean View Care Home in Camp, Co. Kerry, marking a significant achievement for older people, families and the wider Dingle Peninsula community.
Following the deregistration of Ocean View in September 2024, the future of the nursing home and its 34 residential care beds was placed in serious doubt. At a time when rural nursing home capacity is already under considerable pressure, the potential permanent loss of this facility would have represented a significant setback for older people in West Kerry.
The Alliance played a central leadership role in the campaign to secure the future of Ocean View, undertaking extensive advocacy, political engagement, regulatory liaison and coordination with relevant stakeholders to ensure the facility had an opportunity to reopen.
Our CEO, Shane Scanlan, worked directly with the local community, families, staff, elected representatives and relevant State bodies throughout the process. This included coordinating public awareness campaigns, supporting community rallies, engaging with national and local media, including RTÉ, TG4 and Radio Kerry, and bringing the matter directly to the attention of Government and members of the Oireachtas.
The Alliance also provided significant professional and strategic support to the new registered provider Riada Care Ltd throughout the process, working to identify practical solutions to the challenges preventing the nursing home from returning to operation.
The reopening represents the successful outcome of a sustained campaign in which The Alliance was actively involved from the outset, demonstrating the importance of practical intervention rather than simply highlighting the difficulties facing the sector.
For rural communities, nursing homes represent far more than residential care beds. They allow older people to remain close to their families, friends and communities, provide valuable local employment and preserve essential healthcare infrastructure.
The preservation of 35 nursing home beds in West Kerry is particularly important given the increasing demand for residential care and the continuing loss of smaller independent nursing homes throughout Ireland.
We also acknowledge the determination of the local community, families, staff and elected representatives who supported the campaign and refused to accept that the loss of Ocean View should be permanent.
The Alliance is immensely proud of the leadership, advocacy and professional work we contributed towards securing this outcome. It demonstrates what can be achieved when a representative organisation moves beyond statements and takes an active role in protecting nursing home services.
Our commitment remains unchanged: to support nursing homes, protect essential residential care capacity and find practical solutions where services are at risk.
35 beds protected. A vital rural service restored. A community’s determination rewarded.
Where there is a will, there is a way.
Ciarraí Abú! 🟩🟨