Lack of 'meaningful activity' for residents observed at Cork care facility 

An overreliance on agency staff and a lack of meaningful activities were identified by Hiqa during a recent inspection of the Horizons (formerly Cope Foundation) Cork City North 7 centre for people with disabilities.

From what the inspector observed and from speaking to staff and management, residents’ day-to-day care needs were being met, but high turnover of agency staff was causing problems.

There were seven care staff and one nursing staff vacancies on the team at the time of the inspection. The activation team duties were also being filled by regular staff due to these posts being vacant.

The inspector was informed of plans to recruit additional staff across the organisation. However, at the time of this inspection, staff turnover remained high and there was evidence that this was impacting on residents.

Staff rosters reviewed by Hiqa showed that there was a heavy reliance on agency staff. A number of staff met by the inspector were on their first shift, and were noted to be unfamiliar with the residents they were supporting.

Observed

As a result, it was observed that many of the regular duties in the centre were performed by the familiar staff on duty, while agency staff were “not utilised to reduce the workload on regular staff in any significant manner”.

Additionally, activity records documented walking to the on-site day service building, a few hundred metres from their houses, as an activity. 

Other records showed some residents did not leave the campus for meaningful activity for days or weeks at a time. One resident had nine “spins” documented as the only external activity for August and September 2025, but Hiqa noted some of these appeared to have little function, with residents often not documented as having left the bus or completed an activity.

The inspector observed agency staff being asked to walk some residents around the campus as they were indicating they were anxious to go outside. 

Short

However, these were usually short in duration, and another resident would be waiting for their ‘turn’ once they returned to the centre.

Horizons told Hiqa after the inspection that it has engaged in a number of initiatives to increase staff numbers including a recruitment drive, and that since the inspection, two care assistants and a staff nurse have been assigned.

“Further allocation of staff, including those supporting community engagement and activities, will take place as suitable candidates are identified through recruitment drives.”