The Ulster Unionist Party`s Health spokesperson, Roy Beggs MLA, has called on Health Minister, Edwin Poots, to stand down.
Mr Beggs said,
“The recommendations to close all residential care homes should be withdrawn immediately, the Minister should visit the elderly who have been caused such deep and unnecessary hurt to make personal apologies, then he should resign.
"When the Commissioner for Older People describes the situation as "shameful" and identifies the fundamental problem as "an abject lack of leadership", the Minister has to listen. Claire Keatinge has a statutory duty to be the Champion of older people's interests and cannot be clearer about where fault lies.
"The question is, who approved the apparently co-ordinated series of total closure announcements by the Trusts? Surely the Minister realised how sensitive the issue is, in which case he has failed to take control. Otherwise, he was unaware of the sensitivities, in which case he is not fit for office.
"Edwin Poots should immediately move to restore public confidence and not hide behind Trust officials. The human impact of the decisions to close all residential care homes combined with worsening figures on A&E waiting times, cancelled appointments and the proposal to move childrens` heart services to Dublin continues to erode public confidence.
“So far the decisions made by Mr Poots and his advisers have shown crass insensitivity to elderly care homes residents. That arrogant attitude needs to change immediately. The buck stops with Edwin Poots."