Protesting staff fear for future at nursing home
Staff protesting at a private city nursing home are hoping the State will take over running the facility to secure its future.
Care workers at the Aperee Living Galway, have been protesting outside the Headford Road home since last Tuesday week, to highlight the uncertainty over their futures.
It comes over a month after the HSE took charge of Aperee Living in Ballinasloe, after the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) obtained a court order at the end of June to cancel its registration.
Aperee Living Galway (formerly Coral Haven) currently has 55 staff members and 37 residents at Ballinfoile.
Staff representatives and family members of residents have contacted the Galway City Tribune to express concern about the situation at the nursing home.
An inspection by HIQA last November, published in March of this year, highlighted several areas of non-compliance.
The problems included that the governance and management systems in place “did not ensure a safe and consistent service”.
The unannounced inspection by HIQA also unearthed fire risks at the building, and non-compliance including with complaints procedures.
It’s understood some building improvements have occurred since then but are not finished. HIQA personnel visited the nursing home again this week.
Speaking while protesting outside the building on Tuesday of this week, senior staff member Angelo Cloonan, said they’re trying to contact company shareholders to discuss its future.
Pictured: Staff of Aperee Living Galway hold a protest outside the Headford Road care home to highlight their concern about late and nonpayment of wages. Photo: Mike Shaughnessy