HSE-run home for disabled had 'unacceptably poor standards' for residents

In a briefing prepared for the Dáil’s spending watchdog, the HSE said gardaí had 'not received any specific evidence to enable them to commence a prosecution'

Eilish O’Regan

A HSE-run home for people with a disability is the subject of an unprecedented court order after inspectors found an unacceptably poor standard of care and support for residents.

The Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) got the court order in November against St Raphael’s campus in Youghal in Cork.

The watchdog carried out nine inspections of the centre.

During 2015, HIQA continued to have serious concerns about the safety and quality of care for residents in large congregated settings. This is reflected in the number of inspections and escalated regulatory action with providers of those settings.

It was one of the services that were identified as providing an unacceptably poor standard of care and support to residents.

The court order required the centre to have a person from outside conduct a review of staffing levels. The outcome of this review has to be submitted to Hiqa.

Inspectors found that poor practices were increasing risks to the safety and wellbeing of the people living in the three centres inspected. Furthermore, there was a lack of awareness amongst staff and local management about these poor care practices and the negative impact that these were having on the rights of residents.

In addition, weak corporate governance and management arrangements meant that the provider, the HSE, failed to identify the poor care practices, the safeguarding issues and poor quality of life for residents and as a consequence failed to take action to address these serious issues.

Despite the poor findings on nine inspections during 2015, the issuing by inspectors of requirements to take immediate actions during inspections, and the issuing of a warning letter and a notice of improvement, the HSE made inadequate progress in improving the safety of residents and the quality of life for residents.As a result it was subjected to the court order.

The HSE has now begun implementing a plan for improved governance and accountability in the centre and for improving the safety and quality of life for residents. Hiqa said it  will continue to monitor progress on this plan and the HSE’s implementation of the conditions imposed by the courts to ensure that the HSE delivers improvements for residents.