The independent report into the Leas Cross nursing home in north county Dublin, which strongly criticises both the level of care provided and the regulatory process adopted by health authorities, is to be published within the next fortnight.
Persons criticised in the report drawn up by consultant geriatrician Prof Desmond O'Neill have been asked by the Health Service Executive (HSE) to make submissions on his findings with a view to having the report published by next Friday.
However, informed sources said that this deadline may slip by a number of days.
The HSE received the report of Prof O'Neill several months ago but has not so far published the document citing legal advice. A spokesman for the HSE said yesterday that it was considering a number of options with a view to releasing the report within the next two to three weeks.
It is understood that one of the options under consideration by the HSE is to add the submissions made by persons criticised in the O'Neill report to the final published document.
In drawing up his report, Prof O'Neill examined the case notes of a number of patients who died while resident in Leas Cross between 2002 and 2005.
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny, who read parts of the O'Neill report into the Dáil record on Wednesday, told TDs that overall the findings were consistent with "institutional abuse".
Mr Kenny told the Dáil that there were damning deficiencies in expertise, nurse numbers and nursing infrastructure. The O'Neill report is also expected to highlight deficiencies in the regulatory process.
It is understood the O'Neill report will also maintain that the context in which the problems at Leas Cross occurred was one in which policy, legislation and regulations had all failed to adequately address the needs of older people.
The report is expected to criticise the level of funding for long-term care.
It is expected to say that with a few honourable exceptions there has been a systematic failure by governments, health authorities and professional bodies to address the issue of appropriate quality of care for older people with the highest levels of health and social need.
Mr Kenny told the Dáil on Wednesday the report stated that "given the lack of structure, funding, standards and oversight, the standards in Leas Cross are very likely to be replicated to a greater or lesser extent in institutions throughout the long-term care system in the country".
The report is expected to recommend that the Department of Health should set out the numbers of trained nursing and healthcare assistants required to provided adequate care for older people in long-term residential facilities. It is also likely to argue that nursing home legislation needs to be urgently upgraded and that new powers be given to the Social Service Inspectorate.
The O'Neill report is also expected to say that the department and the HSE should review funding for nursing home care to ensure it allows for the provision of high-quality care for older people in long-term residential care.
