Ashbrooke Care Home, Enniskillen
LESSONS must be learned from the closure of Ashbrooke Care Home to avoid the intense stress and disruption suffered by residents, relatives and staff following its closure last summer.
The Enniskillen care home was closed by the Regulation and Quality Improvement (RQIA) due to serious concerns for the health and safety of patients following an inspection last August. Last week it emerged owners Runwood Homes had withdrawn their legal appeal of the closure.
Cllr Raymond Farrell, who himself had a family member who was a resident at Ashbrooke, said the entire experience had been intensely stressful for all involved.
“From a personal perspective, they have settled well in their care home environment. I know for others it’s been stressful. Not only for relatives, but for residents. I know that would be trying and difficult for some.
“We look back now at what has been a very stressful life event, particularly for the residents. Moving from a place of safety, in a move that happened quite quickly and wasn’t really anticipated until very late on, that was a significantly stressful time for everybody concerned.
“Moving elderly relatives, particularly people with dementia and, as age increases, with increased mobility problems, that is a very, very stressful life event for them. It’s not something I think anyone would want to see happen again anywhere.”
Cllr Farrell said he was grateful and thankful things had stabilised for his family, and for others, with the majority of residents relocated within Fermanagh following the closure. He added, however, some relatives now have to travel further than before to see their loved ones.
“That can present difficulties for everybody,” he said. “For a resident who maybe had more regular contact with a relative, that may have changed with changed travel plans. That can in turn prove stressful for family.”
Cllr Farrell added the closure of Ashbrooke had also been a difficult time for staff. Overall, he said he hoped lessons had been learned.
“These things can be managed in better ways,” he said, explaining there was an onus on residential care home to ensure they were adequately staffed, with extra staff on call if the need arose.
Cllr Farrell also called for closer communication and engagement between home and the RQIA, to allow time for homes to make suggested improvements.
“Better communication, better working together, and better staff compliments would all help towards the smooth running of any care facility,” he said.
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