Broadcaster fights for home

Willie Jackson says the health board had acted with little compassion towards the affected patients. Photo / Martin Sykes

Broadcaster Willie Jackson is making a last-ditch attempt to save a Mangere rest home slated for closure by the Counties Manukau District Health Board.

Mr Jackson is also the chief executive of the Manukau Urban Maori Authority which owns Waatea Radio, an advocate for the region and runs social programmes.

Residents at Pacificare Rest Home and Hospital met yesterday to vent their anger and disappointment at the board's decision to close the facility by the end of the month because of two audits last year which showed problems with medication, policies for use of restraints and food quality and violence between patients.

Stephanie Beazley, who has lived at the home for eight years, found out days before Christmas of the closure. The 49-year-old epileptic is afraid she will end up far from friends - even homeless - come January 31.

"We all had tears in our eyes when we found out what was happening. We all love it here. I worry about the next rest home - my [siblings] they're all married and they haven't got a spare bedroom. Our families are so angry and we just don't want to go."

Mr Jackson said the health board had acted with little compassion towards the patients who were still in the dark over the rest home's closure.

"I think the problems aren't as bad as they've been made out to be. Certainly I don't think anything horrendous has happened here, people not being fed, anything horrible like that.

"The way the DHB has gone about this is shocking."

An option he planned to put to the board at an urgent meeting today would be that the Maori authority managed the rest home.

But health board spokeswoman Sam Cliffe said the audit results were the last straw in a series of problems which included failure to improve performance and financial difficulties.

While a death had not occurred because of mismanagement or performance issues there was "compelling evidence" that conditions were teetering on the brink.

"Our chief medical officer went in there. Nothing gives us the level of confidence that we require."

Ms Cliffe said there were difficulties in Mr Jackson's proposal because the DHB had a contract with Guardian Trust which was the mortgagee in possession of the business.

It would be impossible for a straightforward changeover of contracts as the authority would first have to gain certification from the Ministry of Health before the board could be confident of any working relationship.

The board would be working hard to ensure that residents went to suitable homes and at its core the issue was one of safety, Ms Cliffe said.

"We did not make the decision lightly, it is absolutely paramount that any residents that are affected are looked after."