Fire safety issues identified at Cork city nursing home

Issues around fire safety and residents’ rights were identified by HIQA during an inspection of a nursing home on the northside of Cork city, where providers were told to ensure supervision of residents while smoking.

Blair’s Hill Nursing Home at Sunday’s Well had eight compliances, three substantial compliances and six non-compliances in a recent HIQA report.

The centre had sufficient staff. However, there were gaps in training — 23 staff required updated training on fire safety and 20 staff on safeguarding training, while the majority of the staff required responsive behaviour training, with many never having received this.

A number of staff were overdue or required fire training, and there were several other fire safety issues which needed addressing including insufficient fire drills and one resident’s chair and cushion having evidence of burn holes.

There was inadequate supervision of residents who smoked.

Inspectors found that while there were two options available for the main lunchtime meal, residents were not aware of these choices, and while some residents were offered sociable dining in the dining rooms, others were not, and were served on their chairs in the dayroom.

There were also some issues with care plans, including that assessments were not consistently updated following a resident’s return from hospital to reflect their changing condition.

Nursing care was not consistently provided, and wound assessments were not consistently recorded, which inspectors said “could result in errors or delays in wound care healing”.

The provider told HIQA that addressing the training deficits was “well underway”, discussions were taking place around the dining experience, and a new activity coordinator had been accepted to organise things for the residents to do.

Adequate precautions for residents smoking have now been put in place, as have improved fire drills, while reviews are ongoing around burn holes on chairs.

Staff have been educated around wound care, and told that if the weather allows, residents are to be given the opportunity to go outdoors.