Bags of 'unsecured clinical waste' and poor handwashing found at Dublin hospital

A hygiene inspection at Dublin's Beaumont Hospital has unearthed a "number of failings" which HIQA believes pose a "serious risk" to the health of patients.

The unannounced inspection at the hospital was undertaken in July and uncovered that a number of medical staff only washed their hands "half the time".

The hospital has now been ordered to respond to the report and draw up a plan to improve its standards.

The unannounced inspection at Dublin's Beaumont Hospital took place on July 23.

HIQA's report said hand-washing is the single, most important measure to stop the spread of infections and that staff at Beaumont fell well short of the mark - putting patients at risk.

Inspectors observed 60 opportunities for medical staff to wash their hands, less than half of which were taken.

They also found that some medical staff wore the same apron across a number of rounds; hazardous materials and syringes were kept in unlocked rooms and some soiled and infected linen was kept in a "dirty" utility room.

HIQA has ordered that Beaumont Hospital now draw up a response and Quality Improvement Plan within the next six weeks.

Reporter with the Irish Examiner Catherine Shanahan said the report reveals extremely serious hygiene breaches.

A string of failures were identified in the hospital's neurosurgical intensive care unit, such as poor hand hygiene among medical staff.

The report found needles, syringes and intravenous fluids were stored in an unlocked utility room, along with a drugs fridge that was left open allowing unauthorised access.

Bags of clinical waste were left unsecured in the entrance of the unit while awaiting collection, while soiled and infected linen were stored in a waste bin in a utility room.

Inspectors found dust and sticky residues on bed frames, rails and wheels in St Teresa’s Ward, the transplant unit.

Containers storing glucometers were stained with a “blood-like substance”, while rust was detected around the wheels of some dressing trolleys.

Beaumont’s emergency department, which has a catchment area of around 250,000 people, also came under fire in the HIQA report.

Trolleys and shelving with equipment were found to be dusty, while a bin in a men’s toilet was “encrusted with dust and grime”.

Bins were overfilled, causing risk of needle-stick injuries, the report said.