Resident 'half afraid' of peer in Cork Cope centre; inspectors also find financial concerns

The centre—in a residential area on the outskirts of Cork City—was found to be not compliant with 17 standards and only substantially compliant with 12

Hiqa also found that four residents were cared for by two staff. However, the residents' care needs were so high that three of the four should have two staff each dedicated to helping them.

A resident in a Cope Foundation centre in Cork said they were “half-afraid” of another resident while Hiqa inspectors also found financial concerns around residents’ access to their money.

The report by the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) followed an inspection of the Cope Foundation site, Cork City South 3. Out of 29 standards, the centre—located in a residential area on the outskirts of Cork City—was found to be not compliant with 17 and only substantially compliant with 12.

So many concerns were noted, the report said this could influence the Chief Inspector’s decision on renewing the registration of this centre.

In one case, inspectors reported: “One resident expressed that they were 'half afraid' of a peer and said that weekends were more difficult than during the week.” It was found the peer in question was to be “under close supervision, where possible” but inspectors noted staffing levels were inadequate in this part of the centre, particularly over the weekends.

They also found one resident's reported case of unexplained bruising had not been assessed from a safeguarding perspective.

The centre said their staffing numbers matched the funding given to them, and they committed to assessing residents’ needs, saying they could use this information to apply for increased funding.

“At the time of this inspection no additional funding for staff had been provided,” Hiqa said.

“Despite this, the provider had employed two WTE care assistant posts to provide a waking night staff in the house where 11 residents lived. In light of this application, the provider had clearly assessed that the current staffing levels were not sufficient.” 

In another house that is part of this centre, Hiqa found, for example, that four residents were cared for by two staff. However, the residents' care needs were so high that three of the four should have two staff each dedicated to helping them.

They found residents had limited access to activities or to leaving the centre for day trips although some residents were supported in this, including one person studying at UCC.

They also found shortcomings in how residents access their own money. One set of personal financial records showed an incorrect balance recorded, and they said: “This resident regularly did not have any access to their own money while in the centre.” 

Worryingly they found an audit had “incorrectly noted that this resident had access to, and control of, their own money.” 

Second Cork centre

In a separate report, staffing was also raised as a serious concern at the Cope Foundation Cork City South 2, a 23-resident centre. Inspectors found “regular use of agency staff, on average 10 agency staff were required to cover gaps in the roster each week”.

The day the inspectors visited there were three nursing vacancies and two care assistant vacancies. Inspectors said residents did not have space to securely store their belongings, but said there were no financial concerns identified here.

However, residents did not have free-enough access to activities, such as attending their day service, the cinema, swimming or meeting friends. Overall, this centre was assessed against 24 regulatory standards and found not compliant with eight, only substantially compliant with five and compliant with 11.

A spokeswoman for Cope Foundation said: "Cope Foundation acknowledges the findings of the Hiqa reports into a number of its centres in Cork City. The organisation is working, within the resources available to it, to implement the compliance plans it has provided to HIQA.

"Cope Foundation is working closely with HSE management locally and has submitted business cases for a significant increase in funding to resource these and other locations."

Both reports can be read on the Hiqa website.