Coronavirus: Nine Clifton Nursing Home residents died with virus

Clifton Nursing HonePAcemaker

Concerns have been raised about Clifton Nursing Home's handling of a Covid-19 outbreak

There have been nine Covid-19 related deaths at a north Belfast nursing home which was ordered to close following inspections by the care home regulator.

Clifton Nursing Home residents were to be moved after the RQIA raised concerns about its management of the outbreak.

The company that operates the home say staff have worked incredibly hard to maintain good standards at the home.

But the Department of Health said an alternative care company may now take over running the home.

That could allow residents to stay there.

The 89 people who live in the home are to be assessed from Tuesday.

The news comes as it emerged that a further eight people who tested positive for the virus have died in the last 24 hours in Northern Ireland, while a further 39 cases of Covid were confirmed, according to the department.

Its total, which is mostly comprised of hospital deaths, now stands at 514.

The Department of Health said it had ongoing concerns for some time about Clifton Nursing Home, which is operated by Runwood Homes.

In a statement on Monday, Runwood Homes said that 29 of the 89 residents of the home were diagnosed with Covid-19.

It said the nine residents who died all had pre-existing or underlying health conditions "and we extend our sincerest condolences to those families affected".

Twenty other residents have since recovered, two are still being cared for by the Covid team, the statement said.

"The RQIA visit did raise an issue with management oversight at a local level, this was in the latter stages of a very difficult time for the service and the wider sector," it said.

"All staff worked incredibly hard to maintain good standards of care within the service.

"At no point, was resident care noted to be anything but of a good standard and the willingness and professionalism of staff is acknowledged."

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Runwood Homes said it was working through necessary improvements

The company said it accepted that environmental standards were "not where they needed to be".

But it said that "every care home across the sector has had to prepare and react to a virus that we know very little about.

"Our recovery rate to Covid-19 at this service is that 89% of residents remained Covid-19 free or have recovered from the virus.

"We are working through the necessary improvements with the RQIA who have been very supportive."

The Department of Health said on Monday evening that it is continuing to closely monitor the situation and is being regularly updated on proposals for a new provider to take over the running of the home.

"It is hoped the plans will result in residents having the choice of remaining in the home under the care of a new management team - should that be their preferred option," the department said.

"This is a very distressing time for residents and their families. This is a matter of great regret.

"The decision announced on Friday on relocating residents was unavoidable, given the situation on the ground."

A solicitor for a number of families with relatives in the home said while the news of a potential new owner is welcome, it "doesn't really address immediate concerns on the ground".

"Unless meaningful action is taken quickly to reverse the current malaise the families will continue to lose confidence and hope," the statement said.

At the weekend, a woman whose father is being moved from the home said she was "distraught" about the situation, while the Belfast Health Trust said it was unlikely any of the residents would be moved for at least a week.

It also said senior staff are manning a hotline for relatives and residents at the home.

On Friday, the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra) reported that, for the second week in a row, coronavirus-related deaths in care homes had fallen.

In the week to 15 May, there were 32 deaths in care homes, a fall from 38 the previous week, Nisra reported.

Almost half of the deaths Nisra has recorded in Northern Ireland have happened in care homes.

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