HSE apologises to Áras Attracta residents for ‘wrong’ model of care

‘THEIR VOICES HAVE NOT BEEN HEARD’  Chair of the HSE-commissioned McCoy Review Group Dr Kevin McCoy.

Long-awaited report on procedures at Mayo nursing home published today

Anton McNulty

THE Health Service Executive has apologised to the residents of Áras Attracta following the publication of the Independent Review of the Care Centre in Swinford.
The HSE-commissioned McCoy Review Group undertook an independent review of the quality of care being provided in Áras Attracta and found that the model of care for adults with intellectual disabilities was wrong.
The recommendations of the report which were published today (Tuesday) include a person-focused and needs-based approach for people with an intellectual disability, and services should be provided in the community rather than isolation.
Speaking at the launch of the report, review-group chair Dr Kevin McCoy said the model of care at Áras Attracta did not respect the residents as individuals, and that as a result of these practices the residents ‘suffered isolation and institutional conditioning’.
“There was an assumption that the residents could not contribute and do things for themselves: they have been unable to reach their potential. The residents have had a poor quality of life, and their voices have not been heard.
“To move on from this report, services for people with intellectual disability must be person-focused and needs-based. It is important to not only maintain the health of people with intellectual disability, but to include them in social life and respect them as individuals. Services should be provided in the community, rather than in isolation,” Dr McCoy said.
The report was commissioned by the HSE following the undercover RTÉ Prime Time Investigates ‘Inside Bungalow 3’ programme, which aired in December 2014 and focused on the treatment of residents in Áras Attracta.
Welcoming the findings of the report, Pat Healy, HSE National Director, Social Care, wished to ‘apologise unreservedly to the residents of Áras Attracta and their families for the manner in which they were treated’.
“I want to thank Dr McCoy and the members of his review group for their work in producing this set of reports. Their recommendations support our vision for Áras Attracta, and for other residential disability services nationally, which is to move to community living, supporting people with disabilities to live lives of their choosing, to decide where they live, who they live with and how they spend their time,” he said.

Actions to be taken
In response to the recommendations of the report, the HSE outlined the actions it has taken to improve services at Áras Attracta. A roadmap has also been published, which will enable residents to make their transition to community living, which will happen on a phased basis.
Phase one, which commences in 2016, will see 27 residents start the transition to community living with additional supports as appropriate. Phase two, commencing in 2017, will see a further 26 residents start to transition in accordance with their individual needs assessments. The residents will require significant additional support and time to progress to community living.
The HSE said that Phase three due to commence in 2018 will involve a comprehensive programme of communication and engagement with 37 residents and their families about choices and options for their future.
Phase three residents, they stated, have significant complex needs, ageing or medical conditions and will require additional transitional planning and time to ensure that the most appropriate supports and service are provided for them in accordance with their individual needs assessments. Planning is underway for this third phase.
Another recommendation of the review was to have the voice of the residents and their families heard. With the support of Inclusion Ireland, a Family Forum has been established in Áras Attracta and in a number of other residential settings to ensure the voice of service users, their families and advocates are included in all that they do.
CEO of Inclusion Ireland Paddy Connolly said: “Inclusion Ireland will help build the capacity of staff and residents to ensure the voices of the residents are heard. We will also support families of residents to engage with management and staff regarding the future provision of services at Áras Attracta.”
The HSE also stated that they are also implementing changes to management and governance structures at Áras Atrracta as part of the review recommendations.