BackOmbudsman Peter Tyndall has today, Thursday 25 June, welcomed the announcement by Minister Brendan Howlin and Minister Leo Varadkar that his Office will be able to examine complaints from the public about private nursing homes.
The Ombudsman can currently examine complaints about HSE-run nursing homes. However the Ombudsman had previously highlighted a gap in independent oversight of such homes. Residents of public nursing homes could have their complaints independently examined while most residents in private nursing homes could not.
Ombudsman Peter Tyndall said:
“The Government’s decision will ensure that some of the most vulnerable people in our communities will have their complaints examined independently. I would like to thank Ministers Brendan Howlin and Leo Varadkar for addressing this important issue”.
The extension of the Ombudsman's jurisdiction will apply in relation to complaints about actions which occur on or after 24 August 2015 and will not have retrospective effect. Before bringing a complaint to the Ombudsman the person affected must have tried to resolve their complaint with the nursing home in the first case.
The Ombudsman will be meeting with representatives of private nursing homes shortly and hosting information seminars for private nursing home owners.
Source: Office of the Irish Ombudsman
