Hiqa finds Waterford care home delayed reporting of abuse allegations to relevant authorities

The centre was found to be understaffed. It would typically close from 9.30am to 4.30pm with residents attending day services. File picture:Leon Farrell/RollingNews.ie

Multiple incidents of alleged, suspected or confirmed abuse recorded at a Waterford City care home were not reported to the appropriate authorities in due course, according to the findings of health watchdog Hiqa.

At the time of the Hiqa inspection on February 23, Comeragh Residential Services cared for three intellectually disabled adults.

The centre is run by Corlann — formerly the Brothers of Charity — a charity which provides services for around 6,000 intellectually disabled adults each year.

Hiqa found the centre non-compliant in areas of staffing, the administration of medicine, and notification of incidents.

Inspectors found that four alleged, suspected or confirmed cases of abuse, had not been reported by staff in the required timeframe. They also found multiple discrepancies in the drug administration record of every resident in the centre.

Reviews showed on four dates between April and August 2025, select prescribed medicines were not assigned to one resident. Another resident did not receive their prescribed medicine four times across two months.

Within 24 hours, the providers were required to submit an immediate compliance plan to address urgent risks relating to medicine management. Hiqa noted a failure to improve on previously reported areas of non-compliance.

“The provider’s audits and reviews were not proving fully effective at the time of this inspection,” the Hiqa report said. “Recent audits had not picked up on documentation errors found by the inspector during the inspection.”

Other safety concerns were highlighted, including that no fire drill had been completed at the home to demonstrate that residents could safely evacuate the property independently.

The centre was found to be understaffed. It would typically close from 9.30am to 4.30pm with residents attending day services.

If a resident was to fall ill and to stay in the centre for the afternoon, there was no guaranteed staffing support, and back-up would be arranged on an ad hoc basis.

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“One resident spoke with the inspector about how the service manager had supported them to get their state pension,” the report stated.

“They said they were retired but continued to attend day services five days a week. It was not clear if an alternative had been offered to them.

“It was not demonstrated that the centre was resourced to ensure the effective delivery of care and support in line with the statement of purpose and control measures outlined in open safeguarding plans.”