Less than one in four nursing homes fully compliant in inspections
Less than a quarter of all nursing homes inspected last year were fully compliant with regulations and half of those run by the HSE were failing to provide evidence of garda vetting of staff, with health watchdog HIQA claiming the findings showed the case for higher safeguarding standards in the sector.
The 'Overview report on the regulation of designated centres for older persons – 2018', published by the Health Information and Quality authority found that while there were improvements across the nursing home sector, risks remained in safeguarding, fire safety and privacy and dignity.
HIQA found that just 23% of all nursing homes inspected were found to be fully compliant in 2018 and almost half of Health Service Executive services were failing to provide evidence of Garda vetting on inspection. It also found that 30% of centres were not compliant with fire safety regulations on inspection and that 32% of centres were not compliant with governance and management regulations.
The report details the findings from 542 inspections and HIQA said a number of centres have a lot more to do to comply with the minimum requirements.
More than 31,000 people live in nursing homes in Ireland and Mary Dunnion, HIQA’s Director of Regulation and Chief Inspector of Social Services, said: "They should expect to receive safe care that meets their specific needs, and should be assured that their home is being well managed."
She said this was the case for a large number of people, but not all.
The HIQA report also emphasised the need for stronger safeguarding measures to protect the people who live in nursing homes. In the wake of the Áras Attracta case in Co Mayo, the HSE developed a national safeguarding policy, limited to HSE-operated centres or centres funded by the HSE. It has not been placed on a statutory footing and according to the report: "During 2018, registered providers of private nursing homes raised concerns about the absence of a national safeguarding policy and lack of access to the HSE safeguarding teams."
Ms Dunnion said: “In the absence of safeguarding legislation or national policies, we await the Minister for Health’s approval of the National Standards for Adult Safeguarding, developed jointly between HIQA and the Mental Health Commission.”
There was a slight increase in the overall number of nursing homes in Ireland last year even though some other centres closed. According to the report, reasons given for closure included the sustainability of the financial model underpinning smaller centres, the financial implications of achieving regulatory compliance and the absence of a successor in some small family-run centres.
Tadhg Daly, Nursing Homes Ireland CEO, said HIQA had stated for consecutive years that the present funding model was resulting in the closure of nursing homes and accused the Government of "standing idly by". He urged the completion of the Fair Deal pricing review, which he said he suffered "protracted delays".
- hiqa.ie
