Abuse claims in disability centre were not investigated

A resident in a HSE-run disability centre in Cork made 15 complaints of physical abuse in less than a month which were not correctly followed up.

In a damning report, following unannounced inspections in May and June at St Raphael’s in Youghal, Co Cork, the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) found that the HSE, as the service provider, had “failed to demonstrate that the service provided was safe, appropriate to residents’ needs or effectively monitored”.

Inspectors found that one resident had made 15 complaints of physical abuse in less than a month and that these had not been correctly followed up.