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Edwin Poots apologises for care home closures 'stress' Edwin Poots apologises for care home closures 'stress'
(35 minutes later)
The health minister has apologised "unreservedly" at Stormont for stress caused to residents of care homes earmarked for closure. The health minister has apologised "unreservedly" at Stormont for stress felt by residents of care homes earmarked for closure.
Edwin Poots also said it was "unacceptable" that families had been upset by the plans.Edwin Poots also said it was "unacceptable" that families had been upset by the plans.
It was announced over the last two weeks that 18 National Health Service (NHS) care homes would close, affecting 307 residents.It was announced over the last two weeks that 18 National Health Service (NHS) care homes would close, affecting 307 residents.
Some elderly people felt they had not been properly consulted.Some elderly people felt they had not been properly consulted.
In a U-turn on Friday, the minister told health trusts to drop their care homes policy and said closures would be handled by the Health and Social Care Board instead.
"What happened last week fell way short of standards," Mr Poots told the Northern Ireland Assembly."What happened last week fell way short of standards," Mr Poots told the Northern Ireland Assembly.
"I apologise unreservedly. The threat of any residential home closing in the next six months is gone.""I apologise unreservedly. The threat of any residential home closing in the next six months is gone."
Mr Poots said change would happen over a longer period and consultation would be necessary. He promised a "reasonable approach" and said that in circumstances where a better standard of care is available elsewhere, people would be made aware of that. Roy Beggs, Ulster Unionist Party MLA for East Antrim, asked "why elderly residents weren't treated better".
Mr Poots responded that the trusts "were doing what Michael McGimpsey had authorised them to do", as the UUP health minister had set them up during his tenure.
His words came after UUP leader Mike Nesbitt called for Mr Poots to resign.
Sinn Féin MLA Catriona Ruane said handling of the care homes issue was "shoddy" and accused Mr Poots of refusing to answer a question on five separate occasions.
Jim Allister of Traditional Unionist Voice accused Mr Poots of closing care homes by "stealth" as new admissions are stopped.
In response, the health minister accused others of shoddy politics and said he never supported the closure of 100% of care homes.
Joe Byrne, the SDLP member for West Tyrone, said the message had been communicated to residents in a "crass" way, to which Mr Poots said he did not think the required "sensitivity" had been used.
In a statement, the assembly's health committee chair, Sue Ramsay, said confusion between the trusts and the health department should be "cleared up immediately", to avoid a repeat of "the fear and distress caused by the care homes fiasco".
She said Mr Poots had "taken his eye off the ball and that is unacceptable".
The health minister said changes would now happen more slowly. He promised a "reasonable approach" and said that in circumstances where a better standard of care is available elsewhere, people would be made aware of that.
He said: "It's not a matter of forcing people out, it's seeing what's available. Many people will want to stay where they are, others will have to move to nursing homes as residential care homes don't offer the necessary care."He said: "It's not a matter of forcing people out, it's seeing what's available. Many people will want to stay where they are, others will have to move to nursing homes as residential care homes don't offer the necessary care."
The health minister apologised on BBC Radio Ulster's Talkback programme last Thursday for the "disastrous" handling of plans to close care homes. Mr Poots apologised on BBC Radio Ulster's Talkback programme last Thursday for the "disastrous" handling of plans to close care homes.
The plans are part of the Transforming Your Care health service review. This document, agreed by the assembly, proposed the closure of 50% of NHS care homes in Northern Ireland. The plans are part of the Transforming Your Care health service review, which proposed the closure of 50% of NHS care homes in Northern Ireland.
In the northern, western and southern health trusts, all NHS care homes were earmarked for closure.In the northern, western and southern health trusts, all NHS care homes were earmarked for closure.
On Friday, Mr Poots withdrew all power to implement the policy from the trusts and said it would instead be centralised at a regional level.On Friday, Mr Poots withdrew all power to implement the policy from the trusts and said it would instead be centralised at a regional level.