Residents of a Manx Care-operated home in Douglas were recently moved to another property after part of the ceiling was removed during maintenance work.

The work took place at Thie Milan, a residential home maintained by the Department of Infrastructure (DOI), which provides accommodation for five adults with learning disabilities.

A lintel in the property’s living room was replaced, requiring the temporary removal of part of the ceiling.

The five residents were moved ‘unexpectedly’ to Brookville House in Ballabeg, according to the mother of one of the occupants.

Frances Tinkler, whose 29-year-old daughter Elizabeth lives at Thie Milan, said the move ‘wasn’t planned’ and was arranged at short notice.

‘I was in New Zealand at the time and received a call from Elizabeth in the middle of the night telling me she was enjoying her holiday in Ballabeg,’ Mrs Tinkler said. ‘I then realised I had an email explaining that Elizabeth had been moved, but it was clear that this decision hadn’t been made until very late on. ‘I’m told that the works created a lot of dust, which meant it was necessary for the residents to be moved. Whatever happened, they certainly weren’t prepared for it.’

In June, part of the living room at Thie Milan was cordoned off while work took place, including the replacement of windows.

The DOI had expected the masonry repairs to be completed by mid-August, but the project has taken longer than planned because the building is in a conservation area.

A DOI spokesperson said: ‘Thie Milan was undergoing some remedial work and a decision was taken to temporarily move the five residents while this was carried out.

‘A lintel was being replaced, which required a small section of the ceiling to be removed. The ceiling did not collapse.

‘The work also included the repair of a missing roof tile, gutter clearance, replacement of kitchen flooring and replacement of some bathroom fittings.’

Mrs Tinkler raised her concerns after the publication of a recent report that found there is a ‘lack of a strategic framework’ for services for adults with learning disabilities in the Isle of Man.

The report, by research firm Cordis Bright Ltd, recommended improvements including the expansion of housing and accommodation options.

It also found that some residential properties had been ‘poorly maintained’ and, in some cases, ‘inappropriate workarounds’ had become the norm.

‘The front room has had a cordon in the bay window for a long time as they knew there was a problem with the lintel over the bay window,’ Mrs Tinkler said. ‘Despite me raising it with whoever and wherever I could, nothing was done during that time.

‘The fact that Manx Care and the Department of Health and Social Care would put people at risk because of the condition of the house, which they were aware of, is quite shocking – particularly after the recently published report.’

The DOI spokesperson added: ‘The Department of Infrastructure and Manx Care have collaborated at every stage to ensure the safety of residents and staff, which is at the forefront of any decision taken around work of this nature.’