Concerns over staff and safety at nursing homes

The Health and Information Quality Authority has raised concerns over the safety, staffing, and management of medication at a number of nursing homes.

Hiqa yesterday published 23 inspection reports on residential settings for older people, 14 of which found serious major and moderate non-compliances.

The authority’s inspectors found the skill mix of staff at the Sacred Heart Residence in Raheny, Dublin, was not appropriate to meet residents’ needs. Inspectors also found that the system of supervision in place was not appropriate. Hiqa had previously received information in relation to residents “having to wait for considerable times before call bells were answered”. Inspectors also cited poor standards of clinical documentation, with a lack of records pertaining to the administration of medication to patients.