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Tag Archives: HIQA

Stringent demands on county’s nursing homes

NURSING home operators in Clare have spoken of their fears after a dramatic rise in the number of Covid-19 clusters in such settings nationally. Some have revealed that they have had to introduce infection control procedures and cover the rising cost of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) themselves, while waiting for the recently-announced government supports to come on stream. Figures published on Wednesday by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) showed a total of 86 clusters at nursing homes across the country. The data, which was collected up to midnight on Sunday, shows three of these are in the Midwest and ten in the West, with the majority in the East of the country. “Clearly, nursing homes look after very immunocompromised people,” said Dr Billy O’Connell of Miltown Malbay. “An outbreak of Covid-19 could have terrible consequences.” While he welcomed the new Department of Health fund for PPE, training, advice and staff-testing, as well as the support of Health Information and …

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“Affront to dignity” HIQA criticism of St Joseph’s

DESPITE some positive feedback from residents about the care they receive, HIQA inspectors found that significant problems exist at St Joseph’s Hospital in Ennis. One of the criticisms made in a report published on Wednesday was that there is a “failure to ensure that residents’ privacy and dignity was upheld at all times during the provision of care”. The inspection report found that staff cannot deliver care in the way required because of the state of the facilities. “The curtain layout in some bedrooms was such that it was not possible for staff to deliver care in a dignified way. For example, screen curtains do not always meet and so the resident receiving the care is at high risk of being inappropriately exposed. Inspectors observed a resident receiving personal care in an undignified way. “Another example of an affront to dignity was observed for a number of residents as a result of staff not managing and responding to a resident’s …

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New Site For St Joseph’s Hospital

A SITE has been secured for the construction of a new €25 million St Joseph’s Hospital in Ennis. The construction of the 100-bed, community nursing unit on five acres of Diocesan lands located near the Turnpike in Ennis will ensure that elderly care services remain at the heart of the county town, according to Minister of State for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection, Pat Breen. Deputy Breen said, “I am delighted that a site has been secured at this central location in Ennis for the construction of the new €25 million St Joseph’s Hospital. The sale of the 5.09 acres of land remains subject to planning permission for the development of the 100 bed Community Nursing Unit, but I believe the site provides the best option following the appraisal of a number of sites in the Ennis environs by the HSE. “The new state-of-the-art St Joseph’s Hospital building has been prioritised in the HSE Capital …

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Safeguarding adults in health care

The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) and the Mental Health Commission (MHC) are today (Wednesday) hosting a seminar in the Law Society of Ireland on the safeguarding of adults in health and social care services. The seminar, Adult Safeguarding: Promoting Rights, Health and Wellbeing, aims to raise awareness of the importance of safeguarding adults who may be vulnerable, and provides attendees with the opportunity to discuss how Ireland can better promote the rights, health and wellbeing of people at risk of abuse or harm. Addressing over 200 delegates, HIQA CEO Phelim Quinn announced that HIQA and the MHC are developing joint national adult safeguarding standards. “These standards aim to minimise and prevent the abuse and neglect of at-risk adults. This must surely be our aim, every bit as much as reporting and investigating abuse when it takes place”. Mr Quinn added, “These standards are just one part of the solution, however. The State must acknowledge its responsibility to protect …

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HIQA finds compliance issues at Kilrush hospital

A HIQA report on Kilrush District Hospital has found one instance of a major non-compliance and nine minor non-compliance issues. The announced inspections took place on July 31 and August 1, while 35 residents were in the building. The major non compliant issue was in relation to the St Flannan’s three-bed room. “Two of the beds were located in close proximity to one another. The inspector observed that a resident sitting in her wheelchair beside her bed was moved to the day room to allow a visitor sit beside the resident in the adjacent bed,” the report said. “The privacy and dignity of residents was further compromised due to the clear glass panels which were located on both entrance doors to the ward. St Flannan’s three-bedded room did not meet the needs of residents and was unsuitable in design and layout. It accommodated three female residents at the time of inspection. There was inadequate space to store clothes and other …

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HSE challenging St Joseph’s admissions ban

THE Health Service Executive (HSE) has confirmed it will challenge efforts by the independent health watchdog HIQA to impose restrictions on new admissions to St Joseph’s Geriatric Hospital in Ennis. HIQA is on a collision course with the HSE over regulatory issues at the hospital, which provides vital public step-down facilities to elderly people. The Clare Champion has learned that admissions will continue at St Joseph’s, pending the outcome of a court appeal being prepared by the HSE. A SIPTU spokesman told The Clare Champion that its members have been providing the best quality care to patients in St Joseph’s. The spokesman explained the regulatory issues do not cover patient care but moreso difficulties in relation to the physical infrastructure, which HIQA have been highlighting for some time. Over the last three years, he said there have been plans to carry out remedial works at St Joseph’s, as well as an overall plan to construct a new facility on the …

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‘Dual cleaning and catering duties’ at hospital

WORN and poorly maintained wall paintwork, wood finishes and flooring in the theatre department of Limerick’s maternity hospital do not “facilitate effective cleaning” according to a report by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA). The report also stated that cleaning staff in the theatre department and labour ward “have dual cleaning and catering duties” and that the cleaning resources allocated to the labour ward “did not provide assurances that the cleanliness of the physical environment can be effectively managed and maintained particularly during surges in activity”. Hospital management, however, said additional staff recruitment is nearing completion and should rectify these issues. An unannounced inspection, which took place at the University Maternity Hospital on January 27, found that “overall the environment in the theatre department was generally clean” and had “achieved 95% compliance in the most recent environmental audit carried out”. However, the HIQA inspectors also identified “a number of infrastructural and maintenance issues which had the potential to impact …

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Striving for better maternity services

The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has launched an eight-week public consultation on draft National Standards for Safer Better Maternity Services. This represents the first service-specific standards developed by HIQA. Standards for maternity services aim to improve the quality and safety of care received from maternity services. HIQA is now looking for feedback from the public on the draft standards. Chief executive of HIQA, Phelim Quinn said, “This marks a new beginning for anyone who uses maternity services. These draft standards have been developed to improve the standard of maternity services offered to women nationally. For most women pregnancy and childbirth are safe and are associated with a happy outcome. Unfortunately, this is not the reality for all and at times this has been due to sub-standard care. Our standards will work to ensure that maternity services are responsive to the needs of all women and their families, and that maternity service providers put women’s needs and preferences at the …

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