Campaigners had called for Thackery to remain open.
Health Minister Edwin Poots still has questions to answer about the future of NHS residential care homes in Northern Ireland, Derry MLA Maeve McLaughlin has said.
The Sinn Fein representative, chairperson of the Stormont Health Committee, was speaking after it was confirmed 18 care homes – including Thackery in Limavady and Greenhill in Strabane which had been earmarked for closure were not to be closed.
Ms McLaughlin said while she was “delighted” for the residents and their families that the “immediate threat” of closure had been lifted, she was concerned about the long-term future of many of the homes.
She said: “Edwin Poots could have spared them a year of anguish as he has made this decision without receiving the full consultation report.
“I am also concerned that the long-term future of many of the homes are still at risk as the minister has not made clear what the policy on new admissions will be.
“The minister’s rhetoric throughout this announcement is quite unclear and his description of using these facilities for ‘utilisation’ simply isn’t a transparent enough answer for residents and their relatives.”
Ms McLaughlin concluded: “I intend to raise these issues through the Health committee so that we have a clear understanding on what the minister plans for the future of our care homes.”
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