North Antrim Ulster Unionist MLA Robin Swann has called for clarification from both the Northern Trust and the Health Minister on the current strategy in relation to residential homes.
Mr Swann said:
"The information released by the BBC this morning calls into question whether any consultation on the future of residential homes is genuine given that there appears to be a clear strategy to bring an end to statutory residential care.
While Transforming Your Care identifies a direction of travel for the future provision of care, the concerns of those currently living in statutory residential homes has not been given a high enough priority.
What is most concerning is that while there will be difficulties in Ministers from different parties agreeing a strategy, the two Ministers at fault in this situation are from the same party. Both Edwin Poots and Nelson McCausland have the responsibility to present a supported housing strategy which will show how future facilities will be provided through the Department of Social Development with the care requirements of tenants being provided by the Department of Health.
The public know that the provision of all care in one’s own home is untenable and in some cases inappropriate, and in the absence of a clear strategy beyond statutory home closure, both they and the current residents fear for the future.
This issue is creating a crisis of confidence in the Health Service, but the real crisis of confidence is in the inability of these two Ministers to understand the impact of their lack of vision and Ministerial direction. To restore that confidence, both should come to the Assembly and detail the investment that will be made in supported housing and the accompanying care provision that meets the needs of those who currently use residential care or would expect to use it in the future.
Until that happens, the Minister for Health should lift all moratoriums on the use of residential care by the Health Trusts and again give the assurances that he has previously given, that no-one will be forced from the homes they currently live in."