Elderly at facility spend most of day in bed, says Hiqa report

A HSE-run facility for older people which is at the centre of court proceedings “appeared institutional and hospital-like”, with some residents spending large parts of the day in bed and eating meals at their bedside, according to a report by health watchdog Hiqa.

The Health Information and Quality Authority also said an allegation of an abusive interaction at St Joseph’s Hospital in Ennis, Co Clare, was recorded in the complaints book but had not been investigated as an incident of abuse, with Hiqa stating it had not been notified as per requirements.

There were three major non-compliances with standards at the 120-bed facility, which at the time of the inspection last August had 80 residents.