Why register as care home cutting £52k?

LONDONDERRY MLA Mark Durkan has asked why a counselling service for alcoholics and drug addicts had to register as a care home leading to the loss of £52k of funding when only 10 percent of its service was residential care.
By Kevin Mullan
Published 2nd Mar 2013, 14:12 BST

The Sentinel recently reported how a £52k funding stream supporting eight people was cut after the facilty was registered as a residential unit.

Social Development Minister Nelson McCausland said the Housing Executive couldn’t fund the Northlands centre because registered care units were not eligible for its ‘Supporting People’ funding.

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SDLP MLA Mark H. Durkan asked Health Minister Edwin Poots “why it was deemed that the Northlands Addiction Treatment Centre in Foyle had to be Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) regulated when only 10 percent of its service is residential care.”

Mr Poots said the centre was defined as a residential care home under the Health and Personal Social Services (Quality, Improvement and Regulation) (Northern Ireland) Order 2003.

“Whilst the treatment prescribed at the Centre includes group and individual counselling for persons in need of personal care by reason of past or present dependence on alcohol or drugs, it may also provide residential accommodation as part of a residential treatment and rehabilitation programme.

“In line with the 2003 Order, Northlands Addiction Treatment Centre was required to make an application to register with RQIA and was registered as a residential care home by RQIA on 13 March 2012,” he stated.

Related topics:Edwin PootsMark H. Durkan