Inspectors found no protocols for what staff should do when resident with complex needs leaves the centre
Poor management in a home for people with disabilities left its two residents at risk of harm, a HIQA inspection has found.
The Ivy Lodge residential care service operated by Communicare Agency Ltd in Galway was found non-compliant in eight areas, including training, governance, healthcare, protection, and risk management procedures.
When the unannounced inspection took place on July 1, inspectors found that one of the residents, who had been living there for 28 days at the time, did not have a formal care plan in place, despite their complex care needs.
Inspectors were told that this resident required the emergency services to be contacted should they refuse their medications, or receive their medications one hour outside of the prescribed administration time.
However, records indicated that on one occasion the resident did not receive their medications on time; however, the emergency services were not contacted.
Prior to this resident moving into the centre, the other resident was the sole occupant. However, both residents only met each other for the first time on the day of the inspection.
Despite their complex behavioural challenges, inspectors found that there was no comprehensive planning before the residents met to ensure their safety.
Another incident, taking place a few weeks prior to the inspection, saw a resident leave the centre, which inspectors said: ‘subsequently placed themselves and others at serious risk of harm’.
This, coupled with other incidents in recent months where the resident caused injury to themselves, highlighted significant risks associated with their care. However, there were ‘no protocols in place to guide staff on what to do, should this resident leave the centre again against the advice of staff, or again place themselves at risk of serious harm or injury’.
A compliance plan supplied to the care providers highlighted how it is undertaking a review and revision of governance and management arrangements. It said that a revised risk management policy, to include enhanced monitoring and defined responses to high-risk situations, would be in place by August 31.
The Ivy Lodge review was one of 24 inspection reports of designated centres for people with disabilities published by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) yesterday.
Poor governance was identified at six centres operated by Brothers of Charity Services Ireland CLG. In three centres, poor management of safeguarding incidents impacted on the quality of life for residents. While in the remaining three centres, improvements were required in staffing, residents’ personal plans and medications as well as to the premises.
At a centre operated by the HSE, improvements were required in staffing arrangements, while residents’ personal support plans required improvement at a centre operated by Brindley Healthcare Services Limited.
However, inspectors found a generally good level of compliance with the regulations and standards in 15 centres operated by a number of providers including: Ability West; Attuned Programmes Ireland; Avista CLG; Brothers of Charity Services Ireland CLG; Cheeverstown House CLG; Delta Centre CLG; Enable Ireland Disability Services Limited; and the HSE.
At a centre in Galway operated by Ability West, residents had access to a variety of communal areas, including two sitting rooms, a dining room and sensory room.
A centre in Limerick, operated by the Brothers of Charity Services Ireland CLG encouraged residents to be involved in the recruitment of staff, with one resident completing training and then sitting on recruitment panels to support the hiring of new staff. Residents were also supported to volunteer and engage in paid employment.
Residents were growing vegetables in a polytunnel at a centre in Tipperary operated by Avista CLG. Residents had developed an interest in gardening while previous public health restrictions were in place, and had subsequently been delighted to have received a gardening prize for their endeavours.
