A new report from the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has found the Aras Gaoth Dobhair Nursing Home not to be compliant with ‘the governance, operational management and administration of the centre on a regular and consistent basis’.
An inspection was carried out in November 2018 and details of the report were released on Monday.
A Lead Inspector found while a clear and defined internal management structure was in place, the arrangements for the governance and administration oversight for the centre required improvement.
Formal and minuted meetings with staff and between management were described as infrequent but occurring occasionally. This did not assure the inspector that robust governance and management arrangements were in place.
However, the overall the quality and safety of the care and support provided to residents was of a reasonable standard but some areas were in need of improvement to achieve the aims and objectives of the centre’s statement of purpose.
The report found that residents with advance care did not have an end of life care plan, and a care plan for all had not been developed within three months of a residents admission in accordance with the centre’s policy.
Inconsistencies were also found in training and staff development, resident records and a suitable written agreement and official Garda vetting clearance document were not in place for volunteers.
In follow up to the actions required from the previous inspection, the inspector was informed that the fire safety precautions and arrangements that required improvement had been addressed to the satisfaction of the local Fire Authority.
However, a record demonstrating that the fire safety works were complete to the satisfaction of the fire Authority was not available following a recent review and gaps within fire safety training were found in the staff training matrix record.
The inspection also found that there was insufficient evidence to confirm that all staff had received training in relation to the detection and prevention of and responses to abuse.
While the numbers of staff on duty during the inspection was sufficient, confirmation to demonstrate staff were sufficiently experienced and suitably trained was not available or demonstrated for all staff working.
As a result of noncompliance’s found, the inspector was not assured that the registered provider and the person in charge were sufficiently engaged in the governance, operational management and administration of the centre on a regular and consistent basis.