Regretfully, an unforeseen lack of hot water amenities occurred for 24 hours at a care home in Co Galway, owing to the provider’s negligence in settling its gas bill, as reported by the health and safety supervisory body. The Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) released an inspection document on Thursday, scrutinising the conditions at Bushfield Care Centre in Oranmore, Co Galway.
The inspection was unannounced and occurred in July, revealing that the centre’s supply of gas had been disconnected due to the provider’s failure to resolve payments with the supply company. The fallout resulted in residents being unable to utilise the shower facilities or access hot water for a complete day, the report detailed. Cooking, heating, and laundry services were also negatively impacted.
A subsequent evaluation of the centre’s primary bank account revealed an alarming lack of funds, shedding doubt on the sustainability and safety of the provided services. Moreover, it was discovered that about €3,000 of the residents’ funds, held by the provider in the operating bank account, were not accessible to the residents themselves.
Upon inspection, the registered provider was unable to provide reassurances that residents would be able to claim their funds upon request. A closer look at the petty cash ledger revealed that it was being used by the centre’s administrators to settle residents’ medical and therapeutic bills.
Adding to the financial turmoil, it was found that some residents incurred charges for services they did not utilise, with the added complications of pensions being deposited directly into the provider’s current account.
The findings of the inspection raised red flags about the viability of the centre’s financial safeguarding measures, the inspector remarked. Earlier in June, Hiqa’s principal inspector had released a declaration to dismiss the nursing home’s registration.
The examination in July served as an effort to assess the provider’s steps in resolving issues of disobedience cited in earlier inspections over the past few months, due to the risks they posed.
The auditor noted slight advancements, but identified the supplier’s inability to address grave matters around noncompliance, specifically with regards to leadership and administration of the facility, data management, safeguarding of residents’ monetary resources and fire security measures. As a result, the chief auditor further harboured deep worries about the supplier’s competency in delivering a secure and reliable service to the inhabitants, as mentioned in the report. The report was amongst 50 others publicly released by Hiqa on the previous Thursday.
A separate evaluation was conducted for another care home in Kilkenny, during which inspectors highlighted concerns regarding the prevention of infections and their control, in the wake of a norovirus outbreak, also recognized as the winter vomit illness. The examination report for Archersrath Nursing Home clearly stated that an enhancement in service management is vital to establish secure and efficient systems, thereby supporting and enabling the residents to enjoy a superior quality of life.
A norovirus outbreak was reported at the destined centre on the 4th of July, just a week prior to the inspection. At that point, 29 confirmed or probable cases were reported, comprised of 14 residents and 15 employees. It is noted in the report that whilst averting all outbreaks might be unattainable, their spread could be restrained and the impression on the delivery of care can be minimized through cautious management.
Yet, inspectors generally observed that the governance and management systems at the centre weren’t efficient enough in handling the prevailing outbreak. Evidences of inadequate supervision of staff and staffing resources emerged, which directly impacted the quality and safety of residents.