St Vincent De Paul was left off the list of residential homes which have to adhere to new minimum standards, according to the Foundation for Active Ageing.
In a statement, the foundation yesterday questioned why the long-term care facility had been excluded from the need to adopt new standards of care.
Nearly 40 new standards for elderly homes were introduced last month by Active Ageing Parliamentary Secretary Justyne Caruana.
The standards are split across seven core areas: basic home obligations (provision of information and contracts), health and personal care, daily life and social activities, complaints and protection, living environment, and requirements for the management and administration of homes.
The Attorney General is finalising a law which will enforce the standards and a new enforcement entity will carry out regular inspections
The Attorney General is finalising a law which will enforce the standards and a new enforcement entity will carry out regular inspections.
The foundation, however, said that the annex glossary, which was not included in the list of contents, excluded SVPR as it was a “sui generis facility”.
The foundation had been asked to draft the minimum standards by President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca back when she was still Social Solidarity Minister in 2013.
While congratulating Dr Caruana on introducing the standards after a lengthy consultation, the foundation also questioned why certain amendments had been made.
In the statement it pointed to a second irregularity, this time related to the home environment.
It said the section covering the minimum living area in individual accommodation had been amended, this time to exempt certain buildings from having to make alterations.
The same was true of the section covering standards for toilets and washing facilities.
The foundation said that the document had been altered to exempt buildings which had structural parameters which did not permit the introduction of improved facilities.
The foundation asked the government to clarify these amendments, as otherwise they would remain open to interpretation.