AS DRUMCLAY Care Home prepares to close its doors for the final time there have been calls for urgent action to be taken to save the entire nursing home sector in Fermanagh. 

The Enniskillen care home, which announced in September it would be closing due to a shortage of nurses, will shut on December 12th. The Herald understands only a handful of residents remain at the home, with around 30 residents relocated since September. 

To make things worse, a total of 11 patients had been transferred to Drumclay from Ashbrooke Care Home when it closed last September due to care failings. In September this year eight of these residents remained at Drumclay, meaning they had to deal with the trauma of disruption for a second time. 

Patricia Donald, chairman of the South West Ageing Partnership (SWAP), said the closure of the two homes had was leading to a lot on insecurity, with the ongoing nursing crisis adding to the insecurity.

“One thing we would ask is when people are placing older people in a care home to try and make sure that at least there is a long-ish life in the place,” she said. 

“Of course, no one can be sure, but check the staffing situation and the financial situation of the new home is able to cope with them for at least a year. 

“There’s no doubt it’s agony for the relatives and it’s hard for old people. None of us ever like to give up our own home. Then to settle in a new place and find you’re moving again, it’s an awful state of affairs.” 

Cllr Raymond Farrell had a loved one at Ashbrooke when it closed and understands how stressful such closures are for residents, families and staff. He said closures have a knock-on effect on families, and on the staffing situation in the sector. 

“It has quite a monumental impact,” he said. “The nursing home sector, particularly in this county, needs stability. 

“It needs someone who is coming in with the intention to stay, with the intention to establish roots in the county. 

“We do need to consider all forms of safeguarding for elderly folk in future.”