Poor toilet and shower facilities at HSE-run nursing home

Inspectors have criticised a nursing home run by the HSE for providing inadequate access to showers and toilets for vulnerable residents.

It is the second publicly-run home to face criticism this week from health authorities.

On Tuesday, the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) reported that some residents at a HSE-run home in Co Leitrim home had not had a bath or shower for overa month.

Today's report relates to the Sacred Heart Hospital in Co Roscommon, a 95-bed nursing home.

Inspectors found that residents were forced to use commodes or be assisted over long distances to wheelchair-accessible toilets or showers due to inadequate facilities.

The age and layout of the building presented significant challenges in meeting the needs of residents.

For example, some residents were sharing dormitory-style bedrooms with up to 11 beds in a single room, in breach of residents’ privacy and dignity.

In addition, residents, staff and visitors had to walk through residents’ bedrooms areas to access other bedroom areas.

In most cases, residents’ lockers and wardrobes were small and there was no lockable storage for people’s personal possessions.

There was also insufficient communal space for relatives to visit and have private conversations in the day or bedroom areas.

In common with an inspection report into a HSE-run home in Leitrim earlier this week, the Sacred Heart Hospital was found to suffer from staff shortages, particularly in the evening and at nighttime,

Inspectors found that when a resident was very ill and required extra supervision, this was impacting on the availability of the staff for other dependent residents.

Despite the physical issues and staff shortages, however, Hiqa found the centre was well managed and it was compliant with many other care regulations.

Residents and family members also said they were happy with the service.

The centre was found to require a number of actions to ensure it complied with care regulations.

While HSE management pledged to provide inspectors with costed plans to improve the facility following a meeting in October last year, the authority said no proposal had been received.

The inspection report was based on an announced inspection, carried out in March of this year. The HSE has pledged to tackle all defiencies identified in today’s report.