Age Action: Patients being abused
Age Action Ireland said it believed patients were still being abused in Irish nursing homes three years after the controversy surrounding the treatment of patients at the former Leas Cross nursing home in Dublin.
It followed confirmation by the HSE and gardaí that two separate investigations have begun into the recent death of a pensioner at the Falcarragh Community Hospital in Co Donegal.
Age Action Ireland has also expressed concern about the high number of complaints made against nursing homes which have been upheld following investigations by the HSE.
Almost 80 complaints were made against nursing homes in Cork and Kerry since 2005. Details of the complaints were released by the HSE to Fine Gael TD, Fergus O’Dowd.
It emerged that a female patient from Donegal was admitted to the community hospital in Falcarragh for respite care last week but was found dead in her room the following day.
The same hospital was also the subject of a complaint by the family of a male patient who claimed his arms had been tied up by two nurses in August 2006.
HSE inspectors upheld the complaint after the nurses admitted their actions on the basis that they had wanted to prevent him from “removing his incontinence wear”.
The HSE apologised for the nurses’ conduct and admitted that his dignity and welfare were compromised.
It is understood that disciplinary action was taken and system changes were introduced.
Investigations into complaints against nursing homes in Cork and Kerry also uncovered incidents of poor patient care.
Age Action called on the Government to fully implement 32 standards of care for nursing homes which were announced in 2007 as a matter of urgency.
“It is three years since the nation was horrified to learn of the maltreatment of older people in Leas Cross and the Government promised swift action to prevent such abuses happening again,” said an Age Action spokesman.
The Health Information and Quality Authority said its inspectors were unable to take over the investigation of complaints from the HSE until the appropriate legislation had been put in place.
A HIQA spokesman said it was anticipated that it would begin such work in early 2009 to oversee the new standards of care for nursing homes.
Meanwhile Nursing Homes Ireland said it was committed to ensuring the highest standards of care in nursing homes.
