Hiqa probes disability centre failings

The Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) sought a top-level meeting about a centre for women with disabilities in Cork, demanding reassurances that serious problems at the centre be addressed immediately.

The St Vincent’s Centre was home to 39 women at the time of the inspection by Hiqa, the health watchdog, last April. There were major problems in a number of areas, not least over fire safety, and there had been a “significant fire incident” earlier that month.

Inspectors also saw Post-it notes being used in some residents’ healthcare files, one of which had personal information on it (the resident’s national intellectual disability database number) creating concerns about confidentiality.