St John of God centre ‘failed to protect residents from abuse’

Inspection report criticises management at Co Louth service for vulnerable adults

Management at a St John of God centre in Co Louth failed to protect residents from abuse including physical assaults and threatening behaviour, according to an inspection report.

The Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) raised serious concerns over governance, staffing and the quality of accommodation provided at the facility, which provides a service for 22 men with varying levels of disability.

Eighteen standards were measured following an announced inspection last September, and the centre was found to be compliant in just two areas with major non-compliances recorded across 14 categories.

While it was noted that 73 incidents of an abusive nature had been experienced by staff and residents from January 1st 2015 up to the inspection date, over a quarter of employees at the centre had no training in the management of aggression or violence.

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It was found that the service provider failed to protect residents from all forms of abuse, and that the operation of the centre did not ensure that residents’ rights and dignity were adequately respected.

Those living at the facility were not supported to live “a happy and fulfilled life”, according to the report, and residents with greater ability were subject to the exact same arrangements as peers with more complex needs.

Inspectors identified the unimpeded access between the adult centre and an adjoining respite service which accommodated children as a “major risk”, and the matter was subsequently addressed by management.

It was also found that money belonging to one resident had been used “inappropriately” to buy a fireplace as well as other items for the centre, and management instituted a review “with a view to repaying the resident”.

Design and structural flaws were highlighted in relation to the premises such as a lack of wheelchair accessibility, and areas of the centre were said to be in disrepair for lengthy durations with general housekeeping regarded as being of a poor standard.

A further criticism was that “rooms used within residents’ houses, such as staff offices, had greater space and better views than residents’ bedroom accommodation”. Some residential rooms were reported as being barely over five square metres in size.

In a separate report released on Wednesday, Hiqa raised concerns over an "an absence of robust safeguarding procedures" at a L'Arche facility for people with intellectual and physical disabilities in Dublin 13 following allegations of abuse.

The health watchdog concluded that staff there “did not recognise and respond to allegations of abuse in a robust manner”.

The service provider responded that allegations of such a nature would be reported to Hiqa in a timely manner in future.