Coronavirus: RQIA review terms 'a conflict of interest'
- Published
The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority inspects care homes in NI
An independent review into resignations at the watchdog that oversees NI's care homes "lacks credibility", the watchdog's former board has said.
All nine members of the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) board stood down in June.
They said they were not consulted in key decisions made in their name by health officials and claimed there is a conflict of interest in the review.
The Department of Health said the review will "establish the facts".
In a statement to BBC News NI, the former board outlined its issues.
"It is of concern that the permanent secretary does not appear to recognise there is a conflict of interest in him drafting the terms of reference when he, along with the chief medical officer, Dr Michael McBride, have been centrally involved in issuing directives and making key decisions for which the board of RQIA had no input and could therefore not stand over," the statement said.
"In our view, this represents a clear conflict of interest and runs contrary to the seven principles of public life (Nolan principles) including openness, objectivity and accountability."
Permanent Secretary Richard Pengelly is the Department of Health's most senior civil servant
The board resigned over a number of issues, including the move to reduce the frequency of inspection in care homes, the redeploying of RQIA staff - including chief executive Olive Macleod - to other agencies and the decision to make RQIA inspectors work in other roles in care homes.
According to the former board, they were neither consulted on the terms of reference of the review nor were they sent a copy of its contents - which were instead leaked to one of its members.
They also said their resignations have yet to be acknowledged by the Department of Health, but the department said the health minister "has publicly thanked the departed board members for their service".
In a statement the department said: "The terms of reference for the independent review are published and are self-evidently comprehensive in their nature.
"They make clear the review will examine the circumstances that gave rise to the RQIA board resignations, will establish the facts and lessons to be learned and make recommendations for the consideration of the minister.
"It will cover the roles and responsibilities of the department, the RQIA non-executive board members and the RQIA executive team and include interviews with relevant individuals including department officials."
The behind-the-scenes row between the former board and health officials fell at the height of the pandemic, when what was happening in care homes was leading the news agenda.
Analysis: Review spotlights breakdown in communication
by Marie-Louise Connolly, BBC News NI health correspondent
This latest health review will join the many others that have taken place over the years.
While they are all on different issues many, including the Change or Collapse report by the Nuffield Trust in July 2019, highlight that a lack of good governance and leadership are common problems.
This review will be no different. Correspondence between the different parties, seen by BBC News NI, shines a light on many aspects of the health and social care service at the highest level.
Clearly, there was a breakdown in communication especially over reducing the number of care home inspections.
Most people would think there should have been general consensus on whether the number of inspections should be dramatically cut and agreement should have been reached between all parties, including the board, before the decision was announced.
It is also fair to think that during a pandemic - of all times - communication channels between all interested parties, including the health watchdog, should be open.
But former board members say they were not kept in the loop.
It is during a crisis that aspects of good governance come into play. But clearly that did not happen.
In correspondence seen by BBC News NI, Chief Medical Officer Dr Michael McBride and the Department of Health's permanent secretary Richard Pengelly were involved in correspondence between Ms Macleod, former chair Prof Mary McColgan and interim chair Dermot Parsons.
Paul Braithwaite, from the Open Government Network, a body aimed at ensuring public institutions work better for people, welcomed the department's review.
He also acknowledged that decisions have to be made quickly during a pandemic, but said the former board's criticism of the terms of reference is "concerning".
"The fact that they are questioning this means you could question how independent they are.
"The focus for us is whatever is going to get the best answers - but it is in everyone's best interests to have a credible and open review," Mr Braithwaite said.
"Lessons need to be learned about what happened."
Anne Blake is the parent of a former Muckamore Abbey Hospital patient.
She said that the RQIA board should have resigned when allegations of physical and mental abuse at the County Antrim hospital first came to light.
"I am glad they have stepped down - but this is a slap in the face to us and other parents," she said.
"They didn't step down over Muckamore or any of the other scandals. "
In response to that criticism, a spokesperson for the board said they were not privy to any part of the PSNI investigation into Muckamore and were not in a position to comment.
- Published6 July 2020
- Published23 June 2020
- Published22 June 2020
- Published10 June 2020
- Published29 May 2020
