HSE-run disability centres criticised by health watchdog

A number of HSE-run centres for people with disabilities have been criticised by health watchdog Hiqa, including one where a broken heater that had previously resulted in residents moving to emergency accommodation was still malfunctioning during the inspection.

The issues are disclosed in some of the 27 separate inspection reports published yesterday by the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa), with problems also uncovered in some centres run by the Cope Foundation in Cork, among others.

A total of 37 failings had been identified at the HSE-run Upper Woodlands Close in Sligo during a previous inspection and problems persisted in the latest Hiqa report.

“For example, in December 2015 the heating system had failed resulting in over 55 residents being relocated to emergency accommodation for a period of time,” the report stated.

“Although assurances were received from the provider that the heating system was working adequately, inspectors saw evidence the heating system had broken down on several occasions over the past few months and was still not working adequately on the day of inspection.”

Hiqa also said inspectors found that non-nursing staff were trained in safe medication practices, “but failed to identify a series of medication errors occurring daily in the centre”.

An action plan was issued as a result.

Many of the centres inspected had shown either significant improvements since previous inspections; provided many examples of good practice; or both.

However, some major non-compliance was also highlighted.

At the Rosses View facility, run the by the HSE in Sligo, inspectors found that 19 staff members did not have the required Garda vetting documentation completed.

Hiqa criticised a lack of action in responding to some issues raised in previous inspections and said some units at the 35-person capacity centre did not have appropriate facilities to support individuals’ personal hygiene. In two units there was only one shower and one toilet for six residents.

It also found that one resident had not left the campus grounds for over a month.

Also in Sligo, at the Dearaglishe facility run by the HSE, the inspector found that expired medicinal products were being stored.

A report into the Cork City South 1 centre operated by the COPE Foundation, found that progress on 22 of 30 actions generated from a previous inspection undertaken last January were not addressed or completed, while other non-compliances with regulations were also uncovered.

In addition to privacy issues, the report found that not all residents had a falls risk assessment undertaken.

“A number of peer to peer incidents in one house were not reviewed to identify and alleviate the cause of the residents’ behaviour,” it said, adding that “continued deficits were noted in the provision of staff training” and “there was no evidence of a collective, cohesive and consistent approach to addressing of all the actions and inconsistencies noted in the designated centre.”

At the Cork City North 4 facility run by the COPE Foundation, the report said “inappropriate placement of a resident in one house negatively impacted on the safety of the residents accommodated there”.

At the HSE-run Our Lady’s Centre in Kilkenny, Hiqa found “insufficient evidence that allegations of abuse had been managed according to best practice”.

According to the report, one outstanding allegation had not been investigated. Having reviewed the organisation’s ‘whistleblowing’ policy, Hiqa was concerned by the phrase: ‘It is expected that staff will raise issues internally rather than disclosing information to an external body ...’

Hiqa said: “It was unclear that staff would be supported to raise concerns as required by the regulations.”

• www.hiqa.ie