Care centre abuse claims in Youghal not reported to Hiqa

Claims of abuse of residents with intellectual disabilities were not properly reported to Hiqa before it was notified of an assault claim that prompted inspections that revealed a litany of failings.

The visits to three centres at St Raphael’s in Youghal, Co Cork, were triggered by an allegation of a staff assault on a resident last February, and another alleged push on a resident in March was reported to the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) and gardaí in June.

However, records for the Oakvale centre showed Hiqa inspectors that several incidents in 2014 and this year of alleged abuse, and residents absent without explanation, were not reported in three days as required.

An allegation of staff misconduct was not reported to Hiqa, nor were numerous incidents of unexplained bruising reported as allegations or suspicion of abuse, or as incidents of resident injury.

A HSE disciplinary process is coming to a conclusion in relation to the February complaint, and a staff member resigned last week in relation to the incident reported in June.

The HSE apologised for issues at the centre — where 80 people aged from their 30s to their 80s still live — and said a 19th-century building housing 31 residents is now due to close by March 2017.

It is investing €2m on houses in the community for the residents.

The nine Hiqa reports published yesterday reveal residents in one unit were restrained for excessive periods, and some residents walked around naked in a mixed-gender dormitory used by staff and suppliers as a shortcut to another part of the centre.