A Laois TD has hit out at HIQA by saying that their nursing home inspection oversight is ‘not up to scratch’.
Independent TD Brian Stanley was speaking following a meeting regarding The Residence Nursing Home.
There was widespread shock and outrage last month after undercover RTE investigators captured several incidents of poor practice at The Residence in Portlaoise.
Throughout the programme, various incidents of staffing and equipment shortages left to residents being left neglected.
Footage showed incidents where residents were allowed to fall from chairs, wet themselves, moved about incorrectly and in a rough manner, and left in bed all day.
Deputy Stanley and fellow public representatives met with HIQA yesterday to discuss the fallout from that – and he was less than impressed with what he heard.
Deputy Stanley said: “It is clear that the oversight and inspection system for these facilities is not up to scratch.
“I raised at the meeting with HIQA’s chief inspector Finbarr Colfer, the substantial time gaps between inspections in both The Residence Nursing Home and Kilminchy Lodge Nursing Home, which are both owned by Emeis.
“I questioned why there was a five-month gap between two inspections in The Residence Nursing Home over the past year, and similarly why there was an almost 15-month gap between inspections at Kilminchy Lodge.
“They informed the meeting that they endeavour to carry out an inspection, “generally” once in a 12-month period.
“This is clearly very limited and in the case of nursing homes run by Emeis, where clear issues were coming to the surface, it was totally inadequate.
“It was made clear that visits and inspections need to be carried out more frequently.”
Deputy Stanley was also shocked to hear that there are no regulations around staff to resident ratios.
He said: “I also raised with them the issue of staff numbers to resident ratios. Disappointingly, they outlined that none exist.
“I made the case that for creches, there are very strict guidelines, and a similar system of staff ratios should be in place for elderly care.
“HIQA indicated that they would seek to have these included in new guidelines that are currently being drafted.”
