Eleven Clifton Nursing Home residents have died of Covid-19 as new owners take over
Eleven residents at Clifton Nursing Home have died with Coronavirus over the last number of months.
The home is at the centre of a damning inspection into its handling of Covid-19.
The news comes as one of the bereaved families broke their silence to demand answers; and as staff at the home also speak out for the first time.
Meanwhile it has been confirmed another provider Healthcare Ireland is taking over the running of the home.
A regulator of standards warned patients and staff could be put at risk of harm due to problems surrounding infection prevention.
A Belfast Health and Social Care Trust statement said: "Discussions areongoing with a potential new provider and the Trust will continue to review the residents' needs, with the full involvement of their families to inform ongoing care."
READ MORE: Residents relocated from Belfast nursing home after 'ongoing concerns
Extra resources have been directed by the NHS towards nursing homes across Northern Ireland amid concern about the impact of coronavirus.
The property at Hopewell Avenue near the Crumlin Road in the north of the city is part of Runwood Homes and has 100 beds.
The Trust added: "We understand this is a very difficult and upsetting timefor residents and their families and for that, we are deeply sorry.
"We want to assure families that the care being provided in Clifton NursingHome is safe today.
"The Trust is currently providing ongoing advice and has a team of seniornurses, multi-disciplinary staff and an infection prevention and control teamoverseeing care."
An inspection of Clifton by Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority staff on May 15 identified concerns about governance, management andleadership.
Staff expressed worries about management.
On Tuesday, Mr Swann said negotiations with a new provider were "advanced" and could allow residents to stay in the home under the care of a new management team.
He added: "The department working on conjunction with the Trust, PHA and RQIA took the radical decision, the drastic decision that we actually did at the end of last week.
"So we weren't slow to move when we saw the concerns that actually were being raised by the authorities we were in contact with people actually working in the home at that point in time.
"I have no doubt there will be local, national and international inquiries inregards to what actions were taken and when they were taken.
"That time is not now because we are still fighting coronavirus, we are stillfighting it at a number of our homes across Northern Ireland so I think ourfocus should be there at this point in time."
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