The Health Minister in the North Edwin Poots has reversed a decision to close residential care homes in Derry and Strabane.
He has told representatives of all the Northern Ireland health trusts to drop their current closure policy.
He has withdrawn all power from the trusts in implementing the policy and said that the process would be centralised at a regional level.
Rectory Field and Willow Street, both in Derry, Thackeray Place in Limavady and Greenfield Home in Strabane had all been threatened with closure.
West Tyrone MLA Joe Byrne met with residents and staff at Greenfield Home in Strabane earlier this week, he says people power has pulled through:
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