Hiqa slams standards at disability unit

A HSE-run residential unit for adults with intellectual disabilities has been heavily criticised for failing to comply with stringent safety, staff training and hygiene laws.

The verdict was made by the State’s independent watchdog, the Health Information Quality Authority (Hiqa), as part of its new responsibility for inspecting the previously unexamined sector.

Details revealed just days after figures showed that less than 2% of the 199 units checked in recent months were compliant with regulations, show the concern was repeated at Grove House Centre in Gurranabraher, Cork City, during an announced inspection of the facility in March.

According to Hiqa, Grove House — which caters for up to 30 adults with serious intellectual disabilities — is putting residents at risk due to fire safety flaws, poor hygiene standards and inadequate staff training.

The inspectors said that during its visit to the facility earlier this year, shower and toilet facilities at the unit were of “poor quality” and did not support the dignity and privacy of those receiving care.

They warned that infection protection and control levels were “poor” as bathing and hand-washing areas were “dirty” and “unclean”, while concerns were raised over how some staff had yet to undergo “mandatory” training in how to lift residents from beds or chairs.

The inspection team also found that fire safety practices were needlessly putting people living at the facility at risk, as emergency doors were always locked by keys only held by staff — an issue it said would needlessly delay any emergency evacuation.

However, while accepting the facility was failing to reach standards for the protection of vulnerable residents clearly set out in the 2007 Health Act, HSE South operations manager, Greta Crowley, said improvements were being made.

“We have introduced more supervision of the cleaning regime and enhanced the cleaning staff,” the senior official told RTÉ’s News At One.

“In terms of the fire safety reports, we had completed an audit. Any deficits in relation to fire safety, we would have addressed,” she added.

Ms Crowley said that it remained the case that keys were only held by staff members, but insisted this was in the best interests of the residents of the house and the HSE was satisfied that it would be able to evacuate the building safely.

The latest Hiqa concerns over the quality of care being provided to residents at disability units comes after it emerged earlier this week that less than 2% of nearly 200 of these units checked to date have complied fully with existing regulations.

Reports earlier this week found that just three of 190 centres in which inspections were carried out were fully compliant with all aspects of the regulations, with 20% failing to fully meet any of the regulations.

Concerns over the sector received widespread public attention last month when it emerged that the HSE-run Áras Attracta centre in Swinford, Co Mayo, was not feeding some elderly residents for up to 15 hours a day.

The inspection report on the west of Ireland facility was carried out after Hiqa was informed of the death of former resident Albert Loughney, 72, whose postmortem listed extreme dehydration and malnutrition as “severe contributory factors” in his death.