Admissions frozen as Belfast care home fails to meet official standards

One of the UK’s large care home providers has still not met official standards at a residence in Northern Ireland.

Dunmurry Manor in Belfast is owned by Essex-based Runwood Homes.

Health regulators first raised concerns in October but said full compliance with regulations had not yet been achieved in delivering safe and effective care. Admissions have been frozen.

The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) said: “Despite having raised these matters during inspections, RQIA is concerned that the improvements necessary to ensure full compliance with the required regulations have not been made.”

Dunmurry Manor is a 76-bed care home for the elderly including those with dementia.

The RQIA identified issues of concern last autumn surrounding governance and management of the home, the health and welfare of patients and staffing arrangements.

Since then, compliance has been achieved in staffing.

The report said the RQIA had taken an overview of inspection activity, including the lack of progress and sustained compliance with official regulations and standards over a period of time, together with the enforcement meetings, “and have concerns in relation to robust governance and management arrangements and the sustained delivery of safe and effective care to patients”.

A statement from Runwood Homes Northern Ireland said it had fully engaged with the RQIA and shared plans for implementing a model of best practice within Dunmurry Manor.

“Our residents are our first concern and we will ensure that they receive safe and effective care.

“We will continue to work with local health trusts in a collaborative and partnership manner.

“We envisage that in a short time Dunmurry Manor will be fully compliant with all regulations and will contribute to the provision of an excellent care service to the local community.”

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