December 4, 2012

MEDIA RELEASE

CDHB Terminates Contract With Bermuda House Aged Care Facility

Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) gave notice on Wednesday last week that it will be terminating its contract with Bermuda House Dementia Rest Home. The contract was for the provision of dementia care for up to 18 residents - Bermuda House currently has 12.

Dr Nigel Millar, CDHB chief medical officer says the DHB’s decision to terminate the contract follows notification by the Ministry of Health that certification for Bermuda House expires on December 11 and will not be renewed.

“Our priority is the safety and wellbeing of the residents of Bermuda House. Without Ministry certification and a CDHB contract, Bermuda House’s owner plans to close the facility, but will work with CDHB and families to find new homes for the residents by a mutually agreed date of December 20, 2012.

“Any decision that will result in frail elderly people having to move from their home is always carefully considered, but on this occasion it is in the best interests of the residents of Bermuda House to relocate them to appropriate facilities nearby as soon as is practical.

Dr Millar says the temporary manager is consulting with families on how best to match care arrangements to needs and to ensure moving people to their new home causes as little stress possible.

“We recognise it will also be unsettling for families and a very difficult time for staff. Meetings have already been held with residents, family members and staff with a view to developing a closure plan and further meetings will be scheduled as needed. We will also be working with Bermuda’s owner and owner/operators of other aged care facilities to ensure skilled and experienced staff are retained in the Canterbury Health System.”

Background information
The CDHB’s decision to terminate its contract with the owners of Bermuda House follows a HealthCert inspection on September 10, 2012, prompted by a number of anonymous complaints to CDHB and other agencies about standards of care. Bermuda’s Designated Audit Agency also carried out a standard recertification audit on behalf of HealthCert during the first week of November. HealthCert has since decided not to issue a new operating certificate.

ENDS

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