A WEST Belfast woman, who spearheaded a campaign for a probe into Dunmurry Manor Care Home, has welcomed a report that showed authorities did not address serious complaints by families of residents living there.
An independent review from the social care consultancy firm CPEA found complaints by families were not believed by statutory bodies.
The latest review comes following a 2018 report by the Commissioner for Older People, Eddie Lynch, found that residents at Dunmurry Manor had suffered neglect, while one vulnerable woman was sexually abused by a resident.
The CPEA has since found that family complaints were not addressed by the Health and Social Care Board, the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA), health and social care trusts and the Patient and Client Council.
Care Home Advice and Support NI (CHASNI) founder Julieann McNally, whose grandmother Annie McCourt was a resident at Dunmurry Manor, said families "welcome the report", but will reserve full judgement until report recommendations are acted upon.
"The families worked hand in hand with the DPEA for a 18 months giving evidence and sharing our stories with them," she said.
"CPEA haven't held back and they have included the voices of families, and that has to be welcomed. They were some of the first people who gave families the space to give their stories and give them openly and honestly. Families say that CPEA were some of the first people to believe what they shared.
"The recommendations that have come out are now there in terms of the complaint and reform of complaint. We welcome the recommendations, but meaningful change and talking about it is one thing, implementing it is another.
"Families will be watching closely to see how things will change, but the problem for us is that whilst all of this change is in process of happening there are families and older people that are still being impacted because we're still in the same system."
Reacting to the CPEA report, Health Minister Robin Swann said families had been “badly let down".
“I am committed to improving the outcomes for individuals who wish to complain about health and social care services to ensure that service users, carers and their families’ voices are heard," he said.
“It is very clear that residents of Dunmurry Manor and their families were badly let down when it came to how complaints were dealt with. This has been a recurring challenge in the health and social care system and processes must be improved.
“People need to know who to turn to when services are failing them and their loved ones and they need to be assured that their complaints will be taken seriously and acted upon.”
SDLP Councillor Brian Heading, who has worked with the families of Dunmurry Manor Care Home residents, said: "It will provide little comfort that their views have now been vindicated, but this review may stop other families from having to go through the same painful experience in future."
