Inspectors find Cork disability centre to be ‘unclean throughout’

A HSE-run disability centre in Cork was found to be “unclean throughout” with seats missing from several toilets, and leaks and corrosion evidence in bathrooms during a Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) inspection.

Inspectors assessing the Grove Centre, a residential service for adults with intellectual disabilities located on St Mary's Health Campus in Cork city found inadequate fire safety practices were in place at the centre.

All exits, including emergency exits, were locked and only accessible by keys held by staff members, the fire alarm was not routinely tested and fire drills were not carried out routinely.

Inspectors found the centre “was not in a good state of repair” and sanitary facilities were found to be unclean and not in keeping with the privacy and dignity of residents.

They said the premises were not conducive to the provision of person-centred care due to the institutional design and layout of the building.And they found that the centre was “heavily reliant” on overtime and on agency staff, the latter of which inspectors noted “created the potential for inconsistencies in care delivery due to the frequent changes in personnel”.

The inspection report, published today, also noted that a large number of staff had not received training in the protection of residents from harm and abuse and not all staff had up-to-date training in manual handling, fire safety and in the management of challenging behaviour.

On the day of the announced inspection in March the 30-bed centre housed 21 residents.

In a statement released yesterday the HSE said "a comprehensive action plan" to address the required improvements was being implemented and that a number of key issues had already been addressed.

A separate inspection report published yesterday showed that a Hiqa inspection of the HSE-run Damien House Services in Tipperary recorded eight "major" non compliances during an unannounced inspection in May.

Among the issues raised by inspectors were fire concerns and issues in relation to the management of restraints including the use of lap belts and chemical restraint during the inspection of three residential houses for adults with intellectual disabilities, two located Clonmel and the other in Fethard, Co Tipperary.

Concerns were also raised around staffing with significant challenges identified including the use of a large number of agency staff due to the non replacement of staff as a result of a HSE recruitment moratorium.

Inspectors found that the continued replacement of nursing and healthcare assistants using workers from two different staff agencies “did not ensure that residents received the continuity of care and support required”.

They also reported that a number of the residences were not adequately clean with stains on floors, walls and ceilings and cobwebs and dust in areas.

In a response the provider undertook to carry out a “deep clean” of the centre, to carry out repair work and committed to implement appropriate practices around the use of restraints.

Yesterday the HSE said all matters identified as requiring urgent attention had been immediately rectified.