HIQA: Inadequate staffing and fire safety among issues with Cork residential centres

Recent inspections of residential centres for older people in Cork found that one centre had “serious” issues with fire safety, while another Cork centre had inadequate staffing levels that left one nurse tending to 33 residents overnight.

Hiqa has published five inspection reports on residential centres for older people, which were carried out in Cork between December 2021 and May 2022. All centres were found to be mostly “compliant” or “substantially compliant”.

However, at Aperee Living Churchtown, a purpose-built and privately run nursing home in Mallow, “serious issues” were identified in relation to fire safety, which required an urgent action plan to be issued to the provider on the day of inspection.

Overall, the inspector found that residents were happy living in Aperee Living Churchtown, that staff were kind and they were committed to respecting the rights of residents and supporting them to live a good life.

However, there was no smoke alarm in the hairdresser’s salon, trolleys and equipment were blocking the closure of doors and electric panel presses, while PPE and other combustible materials posed risks of accelerating fire.

The fire safety non-compliance was rated as a “red” or high-risk non-compliance that posed a “significant risk to safety”, and the inspector outlined that the nursing home must comply with regulations by September 30 of this year.

In a response to the inspector, Aperee Living Churchtown said that a smoke alarm would be fitted in the hair salon by the end of May of this year, and obstructing equipment and combustible materials were removed.

A separate inspection of St Martha’s Nursing Home in Charleville in May of this year found issues of non-compliance with nighttime staffing levels.

The privately run nursing home was providing accommodation for 33 residents at the time of inspection, delivering long-term care, and short term care for residents requiring convalescence, respite, and palliative care.

In general, the inspector found that residents were supported and effective management was in place to ensure good quality care — however they found that nighttime staffing levels at the centre were “not adequate”.

“There were a minimum of two nurses rostered every day as well as the person in charge, however, this reduced to one nurse on duty after 8pm.” The report added: “After 8pm there was one nurse to care for and administer medications to 33 residents and provide end-of-life support during the night shift.”

St Martha’s Nursing Home said that it would review staffing and monitor overall regulatory compliance, and that since the inspection another nurse had been recruited for the centre.