A nursing home in Co Kerry did not record or investigate a number of allegations of abuse, an inspection by the State’s health and safety watchdog has said.
On Friday, the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) published 50 inspection reports of residential centres for older people.
One inspection, into Lystoll Lodge nursing home in Listowel, Co Kerry, highlighted a number of concerns around the safeguarding of residents.
“Overall, the findings of this inspection were that significant action was required, to ensure residents were safeguarded and protected in the centre,” the report said.
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“Management oversight of the quality and safety of the service and care provided to residents required urgent action to ensure that the service provided to residents was safe, appropriate, consistent and effectively monitored.”
Hiqa last inspected the facility in March 2024, after which a meeting was held where concerns over compliance were raised by Hiqa’s chief inspector.
Despite this engagement, the inspector said, “further deterioration in compliance levels were found” at the home, particularly in relation to safeguarding of residents, governance and management, and residents’ rights.
The inspectors found a number of allegations and incidents of abuse had not been recorded, recognised and investigated as required under the regulations.
On at least two occasions where residents required hospitalisation following a fall or injury sustained in the centre, these were not reported to the chief inspector.
Residents’ care plans were not maintained in line with regulations, the report said, while management systems to ensure the service provided was safe, appropriate, consistent and effectively monitored were “not sufficiently robust”.
“While many residents told inspectors they felt safe living in the centre, a number of residents did not. Inspectors were not assured that where safeguarding concerns arose, they were recognised, recorded or investigated as required,” the report added.
Some residents who were seen as a risk to themselves or to other residents were “not sufficiently supervised”, the report said, with inspectors stating they saw a number of incidents where residents had access to other residents’ bedrooms, putting themselves and others at risk.
The report said Lystoll Lodge issued a plan outlining how it intends to come into compliance with the regulations, including making repairs to the premises, increasing training for staff and the introduction of a new complaints system.
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