Report author questions lack of progress

THE author of a report reviewing 105 deaths at a nursing home has questioned the lack of progress in introducing an internationally recognised method for analysing the health needs of older people.

Eighteen months ago, geriatrician Prof Des O’Neill, author of the Leas Cross Review, recommended the Health Service Executive (HSE) adopt the MDS or Minimum Data Set, which he described as “the gold standard” method of determining the care needs of an elderly patient.

Yesterday, Prof O’Neill said he was awaiting clarification from the Health Service Executive (HSE) as to what progress, if any, had been made in introducing the MDS.

He said when introduced on a pilot basis in Britain, it picked up 76% more information on the health status of the patient compared to when a structured assessment was not applied.

“It goes through all the areas that should be cared for, including whether the patient has pressure sores, is incontinent, whether they are confused etc. It makes for good clinical practice because it helps generate a good care plan for each patient,” said Prof O’Neill.

“It’s not a replacement for skilled nursing but it is an invaluable support tool and we’ve never had anything like it in the system before,” said Prof O’Neill.

A commission of investigation is currently looking into alleged abuses at the home. Prof O’Neill’s overall findings were “consistent with a finding of institutional abuse”.

He said although the MDS was accepted by the Department of Health and the HSE as part of the Leas Cross Review recommendations, “it is not clear what progress to implement the MDS is happening nearly 18 months after the review was received [by them]”.

Meanwhile, Irish Association of Directors of Nursing and Midwifery president Barbara Fitzgerald, called for an immediate lifting of the HSE embargo on the recruitment of frontline staff.

She said the embargo “raises serious issues for directors of midwifery and nursing in assuring the delivery of quality care and the maintenance of a safe environment for patients in all health care settings”.