HSE says new Cork nursing home ‘will resolve issues’ raised by Hiqa 

A recent Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) report into a Cork city nursing home identified several issues, but the HSE has assured the public that all problems will be addressed when residents move into a new unit with more than 100 beds later this year.

Following an unannounced inspection of the HSE-managed St Finbarr’s Hospital on Douglas Road, several issues, that were described as ongoing, were identified with the premises.

The centre was found compliant in 11 areas, substantially compliant in eight, and not compliant in three.

Storage space was limited in a number of multi-occupancy bedrooms, meaning residents had to store clothes on chairs or have their family take them home, a repeat inspection finding which was deemed to be “wholly inadequate”.

A non-compliant score was also given for the premises, which was still “unsuitable for the number and needs of residents living there”, as had been found on previous inspections.

In one unit, there were three toilets and one shower for 13 residents. In another, nine residents had access to one shower and one toilet.

Limited access

There was limited access to safe, enclosed outdoor areas. One “presented a high risk as it was also used for deliveries”, while another “could not be accessed independently due to the ridge at the entrance being a fall risk”.

Some four-bed rooms also did not meet privacy and dignity standards and, overall, there was inadequate communal space for the number of residents living in the centre, including dining and day space.

The audit process required action, Hiqa found, explaining that the centre’s own audits showed that there was no improvement necessary. A dining audit found full compliance, and that a “lack of dining facilities resulting in most residents having their meal either in bed or by their bedside was normalised and not recognised as a deficit”.

The Hiqa inspector wrote: “The annual review did not reflect the service as it currently is, as poor premises, lack of designated dining and separate day room accommodation, multi-occupancy bedrooms with inadequate storage space for many residents was normalised and seen as ‘optimal’ facilities.”

Complaints

Additionally, complaints were found not to be comprehensively recorded or followed up in a timely manner, and the complaints procedure suggesting residents should get in touch with a person who no longer worked in the service.

The centre had issued an application to increase bed occupancy from 73 to 78 residents, with the rationale in the application described as “contrary to the contract of care legality” by Hiqa.

The HSE noted that it had withdrawn the application to increase occupancy, pointing out that a new 105-bed community nursing unit has been built, and will be occupied in the fourth quarter of 2025.

“All issues in relation to the premises will be addressed,” it said. 

“Single-room accommodation will be available. There will be adequate storage space, adequate communal spaces, and dining rooms for residents will be available. There will be sufficient access to shower, and toilet facilities. There will be access to enclosed gardens available to all residents.”