A number of non-compliances were recorded at three nursing homes in Donegal.
The unannounced inspections took place during the summer at Hillcrest House Nursing Home in Letterkenny, Ramelton Community Hospital and Buncrana Community Hospital.
16 residents were present during the unannounced inspection at Buncrana Community Hospital on the 7th of May, and were found to be non-compliant in the areas of governance and management, premises and fire precautions.
The report raised concerns over the layout of rooms and that residents’ needs were not being met.
The full report can be found here.
An unannounced inspection was made at Ramelton Community Hospital on the 15th of July, where 25 residents were present.
The nursing home was found to be non-compliant in all areas; governance and management, premises and fire precautions.
The HIQA report states that the residents were happy and like living there but that significant focus is required to improve the management and oversight of fire safety.
The full can be found here.
Meanwhile, the unannounced inspection took place at Hillcrest House Nursing Home in Letterkenny on the 12th of August., where 57 residents were present that day.
They were found to be non-compliant in the areas of governance and management, premises, food and nutrition and infection control and substantially compliant in changes to information supplied for registration purposes, complaints procedure, personal possessions and medicine and pharmaceutical services.
The report says residents were found to be supported and had a good quality of life but significant improvements would need to be made in the affected areas.
The full report can be found here.
Statement from HSE: HIQA Inspection – Ramelton Community Hospital – OSV-0000615
09 December 2025
Ramelton Community Hospital is a designated centre registered to provide health and social care to 29 male and female residents, primarily over the age of 65. A HIQA inspection was carried out on 15 July 2025 and the report was published on the HIQA website today, 09 December 2025.
The overall feedback from residents who spoke with the inspector was that they were happy and liked living in the Ramelton Community Hospital. They shared positive feedback about the centre and the care they received.
During the inspection, three regulations were inspected and all three were found to be non-compliant. The following actions are being undertaken to help reach compliance:
In-house fire management systems have been reviewed and will be more robust in identifying fire risks going forward as to adequately support effective fire safety arrangements which will assure the safety of all residents.
Maintenance have completed checks on all fire doors and the external smoking area now has a fire blanket, a fire extinguisher and a metal ashtray installed. Emergency lighting has been checked and all is in working order.
A new one page Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEPS) has been developed and implemented for each resident.
HSE Older Persons Services in the Donegal Integrated Healthcare Area will continue to work to ensure that robust governance, quality and safety arrangements are in place within Ramelton Community Hospital to ensure high quality services are experienced ongoing by its residents.
Media Statement HIQA Inspection – Buncrana Community Hospital: OSV-0000614 9 December 2025
Buncrana Community Hospital is a single-storey building located in Buncrana Town that is close to local amenities. The designated centre provides care and support to meet the needs of both male and female older persons who require both long-term (continuing and dementia care) and short-term (assessment, rehabilitation convalescence and respite care).
This unannounced inspection was carried out over one day. There were 16 residents accommodated in the centre on the day of the inspection. The inspection was carried out on 7 May 2025 and the report was published on the HIQA website on 9 December 2025.
Four regulations were inspected on the day and four regulations were found to be non-compliant.
In terms of Governance and management, items that were stored inappropriately on the day of inspection were removed immediately. In May 2025, the majority of the main unit was vacated in preparation for construction works and as such the HSE Fire officer deemed all risks removed. The Ash Ward will remain occupied until the final phase of refurbishment works, when it will undergo minor refurbishment to reduce bedroom capacity and increase residents personal space and introduce additional ensuite bathrooms.
Under the premises regulation, the residents enclosed garden has been remodelled and is now easily accessible, a review of storage and of resident’s bed spaces have been carried out and a review has commenced in the multi-occupancy rooms which will ensure that these rooms are suitably laid out to meet the mobility and transfer needs of residents using assistive equipment.
In terms of Fire Precautions all staff have been made aware of the risk to fire safety measures when doors are propped open. New directional exit signage and additional external emergency lighting around the perimeter of the building have both been installed. Fire safety systems, checks and audits are now in place to identify fire safety risks with regards to fire precautions, and these are reviewed on an ongoing basis as part of the centres audit schedule. All risk items identified within the Fire Risk Assessment will be addressed following the major building/refurbishment works within the centre.
HSE Older Persons Services in the Donegal Integrated Healthcare Area will continue to work to ensure that robust governance, quality and safety arrangements are in place within Buncrana Community Hospital to ensure high quality services are experienced ongoing by its residents.
