Report: Nursing home made serious errors over medication

Serious medication errors and a risk of choking at meal times were among a series of major concerns raised about the management of a Co Galway nursing home.

A report by the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) has sharply criticised conditions at Ballinderry Nursing Home in Kilconnell, Co Galway, following an unannounced inspection of the privately owned facility.

Hiqa inspectors found a significant number of areas of non-compliance with regulations during their visit in March.

They also claimed the staffing levels and skill mix at the facility, where 20 of the 46 residents were maximum dependency, were “wholly inadequate”.

Among serious issues identified were inadequate care arrangements for residents at risk of falls, those with challenging behaviour, and those requiring oxygen.

Inspectors were so concerned they returned to the nursing home just over a week later. They required the provider, Mary Noone, to immediately increase the number of nurses on duty and ordered the person in charge, Katherine McGinty, to conduct an inquiry into discrepancies in medication records.

Inspectors found nurses had signed sheets indicating medications had been administered prior to doing so in contravention of An Bord Altranais guidelines.

They said the level of compliance had raised concerns about the fitness of Ms Noone and another manager to remain involved in the running of the nursing home.

Inspectors revisited Ballinderry two days later. They found sufficient progress had been made to mitigate the immediate risk to residents, although there remained a substantial amount of work to comply with official regulations and standards.

The nursing home has stated the vast majority of outstanding issues will be implemented by the end of May.