A heated public meeting was held in Markethill last night (Thursday) to discuss the future of the Hebron House care home.
Around 20 to 30 people attended the event in the building on Main Street, to hear from Pastor Gerard Chimbganda, the CEO of GoodPeople Healthcare Ltd, the organisation behind the proposed reopening of the facility.
Hebron House, which had operated as a residential and respite care service for adults, closed three years ago.
In recent weeks it was announced that GoodPeople Healthcare, an organisation that employs people in the healthcare sector in Ireland, would be taking over the facility and restoring its status as a care home.
Once refurbishment work is completed, the plans to bring the facility back into operation, will progress forward.
However, concerns of clarity around the new takeover produced a social media furore, which led to some online alleging the facility would be used to house illegal immigrants.
Thursday’s meeting was organised to allow the organisers to hear queries from the local community, and offer more insight into what plans were in place.
It was attended by a number of local councillors, alongside members of the public, and a representative from the PSNI.
However, the gathering quickly became heated, with strong opinions voiced both for and against GoodPeople taking on the premises.
Speaking to those present, Pastor Chimbganda confirmed that the facility would not be used to house migrants and that it was purely for care provision.
A key concern of some was that jobs be available for Markethill people, with Pastor Chimbganda assuring those present that local people would be employed. He added that he wanted the manager to be local, and a jobs open day would be held on October 29.
He said there was a “need” in the area for such a service, explaining that he wanted to reopen the previous service under new management and was finalising RQIA registration, hoping that ten staff would be employed initially.
No positions have currently been filled, the meeting heard.
Alderman Paul Berry attended the meeting, and speaking to Armagh I afterwards, said that it was a welcome opportunity for the community to ask questions.
He stated: “I welcomed the open night for the CEO to come and answer questions. It was a very forthright meeting and there were several people who had very pertinent questions to ask and statements to make.
“It was very much an open forum where a lot had been asked and said and nobody was under any disillusions as to the concerns that were being raised.
“The company outlined their plans for providing respite care for people with mental and learning disabilities, same to the provision that was there previously. They’re going to have another open day for people to register in relation to employment and I welcome that.”
He added: “I would stress that there will be no provision opened in this centre until RQIA and the Southern Health Trust say that they meet that requirement and the building is fit for purpose. That’s something that I will continue to make representations on.
“It was a very heated meeting and very forthright, but it was important to have it and it ended up being a good meeting.”
Speaking to Armagh I earlier this week, Pastor Gerard Chimbganda said he wished to alleviate any concerns in the community.
He said: “It will be a residential care home, not a nursing home. We are trying to provide a service for those with learning disability and those who are coming out of hospital. There are apartments at the back for respite care too.
“We have nothing to hide. There is no harmful deal happening. I am sure the Health and Social Care Trust will be happy to have 21 beds back in operation. All of our staff are checked and vetted and will have completed an Access NI check.
“We are an accredited provided employing a multinational workforce with over nine nationalities and the workforce for Hebron House will be the same.
“We absolutely want local people to be involved and we will be posting recruitment advertising next week and would welcome all local people interested in working with us to attend our recruitment open day to express their interest.”
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