Care home review reports published

Date published: 27 October 2022

The reports cover the areas of Regulation and Inspection, Assessment and Care Management, Care Home Providers and The Care Home Market. They follow previously published reports on Adult Safeguarding and Complaints. Today’s publication brings the work of the independent review to a conclusion

The review by CPEA Ltd, a Liverpool-based Independent Social Services Consultancy, was commissioned by the Department in 2018. This followed the publication of the “Home Truths” report on DMCH by the Commissioner for Older People in June of that year.

CPEA’s review was established to provide the Department and the wider Health and Social Care system with an independent analysis and insight into how the whole system responded to care failings at Dunmurry Manor and to identify lessons to be learned for the future.

The Adult Safeguarding report was published in September 2020 and Complaints paper followed in March 2022.

Publication of the subsequent reports was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department has been kept fully informed on key findings and recommendations during the course of the review.

Health Minister Robin Swann said: “I want to thank the independent review team at CPEA for its comprehensive work and for its detailed engagement with all stakeholders throughout the review. I also want to thank the families and carers for taking the time to engage so fully with this review. I am very pleased to have been able to ensure publication of these four reports before I left office.

“It is very clear that residents of Dunmurry Manor and their families were badly let down and we cannot allow these circumstances to be repeated. The health and social care system must be improved to better protect those receiving care. Delivering the recommendations contained in the CPEA reports will ensure much better protections are in place for current service users and future generations.”

A HSC Care Homes Working Group has been established and part of its remit will be to monitor and report on the progress of each of the proposals set out in the reports published by the Independent Review Team.