Nursing home may face action over safety failings

The State’s health watchdog has warned it is considering taking regulatory action against a Cork nursing home which failed to address concerns raised about the safety and suitability of its premises.

The Health Information and Quality Authority advised that “significant improvements” were required in the design, layout, and maintenance of St Joseph’s Community Hospital in Millstreet. It was also critical of the centre’s failure to notify it of an unexpected death of a resident.

In an inspection report published yesterday, Hiqa said the HSE-run home was “not in a good state of repair” and St Joseph’s was “majorly non-compliant” with regulations in place to ensure residents live in a safe and suitable premises.