The Nursing Homes Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005

PART V MANAGEMENT

Financial position

28.—(1) The registered provider shall carry on the nursing home in such a manner as is likely to ensure that the home will be financially viable for the purpose of achieving the aims and objectives set out in the statement of purpose.

(2) The registered person shall, if the Regulation and Improvement Authority so requests, provide such information and documents to the Regulation and Improvement Authority as it may require for the purpose of considering the financial viability of the nursing home, including –

(a) the annual accounts of the nursing home certified by an accountant;

(b) a reference from a bank expressing an opinion as to the registered provider’s financial standing;

(c) information as to the financing and financial resources of the nursing home;

(d) where the registered provider is a company, information as to any of its associated companies;

(e) a certificate of insurance for the registered provider in respect of liability which may be incurred by him in relation to the nursing home in respect of death, injury, public liability, damage or other loss.

(3) The registered person shall –

(a) ensure that adequate accounts are maintained in respect of the nursing home and kept up to date;

(b) ensure that the accounts give details of the running costs of the nursing home, including rent, payments under a mortgage and expenditure on food, heating and salaries and wages of staff; and

(c) supply a copy of the accounts to the Regulation and Improvement Authority at its request.

(4) In this regulation a company is an associated company of another if one of them has control of the other or both are under the control of the same person.

Visits by registered provider

29.—(1) Where the registered provider is an individual, but not in day-to-day charge of the nursing home, he shall visit the home in accordance with this regulation.

(2) Where the registered provider is an organisation or partnership, the nursing home shall be visited in accordance with this regulation by –

(a) the responsible individual or one of the partners, as the case may be;

(b) another of the directors or other persons responsible for the management of the organisation or partnership; or

(c) an employee of the organisation or the partnership who is not directly concerned with the conduct of the nursing home.

(3) Visits under paragraph (1) or (2) shall take place at least once a month or as agreed with the Regulation and Improvement Authority and shall be unannounced.

(4) The person carrying out the visit shall –

(a) interview, with their consent and in private, such of the patients and their representatives and persons working at the nursing home as appears necessary in order to form an opinion of the standard of nursing provided in the home;

(b) inspect the premises of the nursing home, its record of events and records of any complaints; and

(c) prepare a written report on the conduct of the nursing home.

(5) The registered provider shall maintain a copy of the report required to be made under paragraph (4)(c) in the home and make it available on request to –

(a) the Regulation and Improvement Authority;

(b) the registered manager;

(c) the patient or their representative;

(d) an officer of the Trust in the area of which the nursing home is situated.

(6) In the case of a visit under paragraph (2) –

(a) where the registered provider is an organisation, to each of the directors or other persons responsible for the management of the organisation; and

(b) where the registered provider is a partnership, to each of the partners.