HIQA has found improvements were required at three designated centres for people with disabilities in Donegal during unannounced inspections.
Issues were highlighted at Loughnagin and Cloghan centres as well as the James Connolly Memorial Residential Unit.
Inspectors say while good governance and management arrangements were in place at Loughnagin centre, one non-compliance in notification of incidents was identified.
Other improvements were required in staff training, safeguarding and protection systems, risk management and governance and management.
Improvements were made at the Cloghan Centre in the governance and management of the service, however compatibility issues between residents remained which led to some residents feeling unsafe at times.
Three non-compliances were outlined at the James Connolly Memorial Residential Unit with concerns raised in relation to the welfare of residents and the safety of the service provided. In response to these findings, the provider submitted a compliance plan which detailed actions they planned to take to bring the centre into compliance.
Meanwhile, in a follow-up review of Teach Iarnroid, inspectors found that significant improvements had been made. The centre is now fully compliant after 14 regulations were previously found to be non-compliant.
HSE Statement –
– HIQA inspection at Cloghan – OSV 0008154
Cloghan is a designated centre providing residential care and is located within a small campus setting which contains six other designated centres operated by the HSE as the provider. Cloghan provides full-time residential care and support to three residents. The designated centre comprises a three bedded single-storey house. The centre is located in a residential area of a town and is in close proximity to amenities such as shops, leisure facilities and coffee shops. Residents are supported by a staff team of both nurses and care assistants
The centre was inspected on the 21st of March 2023 and the report was published on the HIQA website on July 20th 2023.
Thirteen regulations were inspected, and seven regulations were deemed to be compliant, five substantially compliant and one was deemed non-compliant at the time of inspection. The HSE has taken the following actions to ensure the service is operating to the required standards and in full compliance with the regulations:
· This centre is included in the overall decongregation plan for the campus and there is a schedule of monthly compatibility and decongregation meetings to progress this process.
· Regular meetings regarding compatibility are held on a monthly basis and a representative from the centre attends all meetings.
The HSE will continue to work ensure that high quality services are delivered and maintained within this centre.
– HIQA Inspection – Teach Iarnroid – OSV 0008273
Teach Iarnroid provides full-time residential care and support to four adults with an intellectual disability. This centre is located in an urban setting in South Donegal.
Each resident has their own bedroom with en-suite facilities in this centre. This centre’s residents are supported by a Person in Charge and a staff team of Health Care Assistants.
The centre commenced service delivery in October 2022 and was inspected by HIQA on the 15th & 16th November 2022.
Fourteen regulations were inspected and were found not to be in compliance with standards. The HSE subsequently took a range of actions including the following to
ensure the centre operates to the required standards:
A review of all staff training requirements was completed.
A directory of residents was put in place in the centre. This is monitored daily to ensure it accurately reflects leave from the centre.
Each resident’s Personal Plan was reviewed and updated to reflect his/her current health and social care status and supports required.
An up to date Statement of Purpose is available within the centre and a copy has been provided to each resident and his/her representative.
A quality improvement plan for the centre has been developed which is monitored on a weekly basis.
The agreed HSE Incident Management system has been implemented within the centre.
Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans have been developed for all residents and Fire Safety Evacuation plans are displayed throughout the centre.
The Care Plan and Person Centred Plan for the new resident coming to live in Teach Iarnroid has been completed
An immediate response action plan was commenced by management and all actions have since been completed. An enhanced governance and oversight process was also put in place.
Teach Iarnroid was re-inspected on 30th January 2023 and the report was published on the HIQA website on the 20 th of July 2023 and all fourteen regulations inspected were deemed to meet standards and received a compliant judgment.
This inspection was an unannounced inspection conducted to review the actions completed in response to the inspection completed in November 2022. Inspectors found that significant improvements had occurred since the last inspection and the fourteen regulations reviewed were found compliant. It was noted that inspectors found residents’ safety was paramount to all systems and arrangements in place in this centre. It was also noted by the inspectors that oversight systems were enhanced to ensure the quality of care provided was monitored effectively.
Residents were noted to be supported and encouraged to choose how they wished to spend their time and that they were involved as much as possible in the running of their home.
The HSE will continue to work to ensure that high quality services are delivered and maintained within this centre.
– HIQA inspection at James Connolly Memorial Residential Unit OSV- 0002502
James Connolly Memorial Residential Unit is run by the HSE and provides care and support to nine adults with disabilities. The premises consists of a large two storey building. Communal facilities include two large sleeping dormitories and single occupancy bedrooms. All bedroom facilities are on the ground floor of the centre.
The centre was inspected on the 17th and 18th of April 2023 and the report was published on the HIQA website on July 20th 2023.
Eleven regulations were inspected over a two day inspection period. Four regulations received a compliant judgment, four received a substantially compliant judgement and three received a non-compliant judgement. A number of actions have been undertaken since the inspection to ensure that the services at the James Connolly Memorial Residential Unit are compliant with standards set out in the regulations for disability residential services.
These include:
A review of the centre’s training matrix for all staff has been completed and will be monitored on a monthly basis to ensure all training is completed in line with requirements.
Training programmes, where outstanding, has been scheduled for all relevant staff.
A review of the staffing complement within the centre has been completed.
Risk assessments have been reviewed within the centre.
Human Rights and Restrictive Practices are included as standing agenda items for team meetings.
A full review of the centre’s staffing roster has been completed.
The garden area is currently having improvement works completed
A review of meal times and menus has been completed.
Plans to transition residents of the James Connolly Memorial Residential Unit to homes in the community under the national HSE Transforming Lives and Time To Move on from Congregated Settings policy are being advanced. The HSE will continue to work to ensure that a high quality of service is maintained within this centre.
