Findings from a health inspection reveal that an individual was unable to exit a locked room in a HSE-operated nursing home in Co Wexford. The Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) disclosed this report on Monday following a surprise inspection at St John’s Community Hospital in Enniscorthy in January. The assessment exposed that a resident who had contracted Covid-19 was inhabiting an activities room in one of the wards which was being utilized as a sleeping area. The resident’s access from the room to the hallway was via a combination lock. Although the room was not locked from inside, opening the door required unlocking two latches which the resident was unable to do, as witnessed by an inspector. While the room also had a door that opened to an external secure area, it remained locked for the purpose of preventing unsupervised outdoor access for the residents. Furthermore, an additional door opening to the outdoor area from a nearby sitting area was similarly locked, thereby denying these residents outdoor access.
Monday saw Hiqa publish 50 inspection reports, with 13 centres falling short of a maximum of three regulations and an additional 11 centres failing to meet four or more regulations. The areas of non-compliance highlighted included staffing, training, staff development, record keeping, management, incident reporting, premises, nutrition, infection control, fire safety measures, personal assessment, care planning, healthcare and residents’ rights.
Concerns regarding staffing levels and inability to access assistance were also voiced by residents at the Tara Winthrop Private Clinic in Dublin. The report stated that the clients and visitors felt the staff were unable to support some residents’ desire to shower, causing them to go without a shower for weeks at a time. They were, however, provided with body washes which were not their first preference. The slow response to call bells by the staff also raised concerns, with one resident claiming that using the call bell was futile.
A local inhabitant had to resort to calling a family member for them to contact the centre, as their pleas for help via the call bell were left unattended during the night, as stated in the report. The auditors furthermore pointed out worries over the safety procedures related to fire. The report identifies incorrect placement of burnable objects near items that could easily catch fire.