STANDARDS OF hygiene at St Luke’s Hospital in Kilkenny were found to have deteriorated when the hospital was visited last month by inspectors from the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa).
Their inspection report, published yesterday, states that in the majority of areas visited the standard of hygiene was only “fair”.
Four areas visited, it said, had “high and low level dust”, chipped paint, clutter and sticky tape residue on surfaces.
One mattress in the emergency department was “visibly not clean following cleaning and this was brought to the attention of the manager”.
Inspectors also found all opportunities to practise hand hygiene were not taken by staff and “the hand washing technique used did not always comply with best practice”.
Under Hiqa’s inspection regime hospitals can receive A, B, C, D or E grades across seven standards.
The hospital got A grades for its kitchens and linen supply but for ensuring its physical environment and facilities in general are clean it got a C grade (41-65 per cent compliance). The hospital’s ratings against four standards had dropped since 2008.
The HSE, which runs the 317-bed hospital, said it acknowledged the same standards attained in previous audits were not reached on this occasion.
Anne Slattery, the hospital’s general manager, said the results of the inspection were disappointing but will be addressed as a matter of urgency.
“We will be working hard towards ensuring a much better result in the hospital in the next Hiqa audit,” she said.
Meanwhile, a separate inspection by Hiqa found significant improvements in hygiene standards at Roscommon County Hospital. Last year the 104-bed hospital received a “poor” rating overall when inspected by Hiqa but when inspectors returned last month they found extensive compliance with hygiene standards. In the majority of areas visited the standard of hygiene was “good”.
It received a B rating for compliance against six out of seven standards assessed and an A rating for compliance on the remaining one.
Improvements were also found in hygiene standards at the 199-bed Midland Regional Hospital in Mullingar which had also got a “poor” hygiene rating last year. However, the inspection report on the hospital makes it clear it still has some further work to do.