An inspection of Mayo University Hospital, Castlebar, found poor standards of environmental and patient equipment hygiene.
Inspectors from the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) also said the hospital failed to implement effective control measures to prevent invasive aspergillosis during construction and renovation work.
Aspergillosis is the name of a group of fungal conditions caused by the mould aspergillus. It usually affects the respiratory system but can spread to anywhere in the body.
Cumulatively, the findings of the May 31st inspection in Mayo were poor enough to be considered an “immediate high risk” and a re-inspection was carried out on July 13th.
The re-inspection revealed significant progress in the measures to prevent aspergillosis.
“However, there remained significant scope for improvement in relation to the standards of environmental hygiene in both the orthopaedic ward and the renal dialysis unit,” the report said.
It added that findings of both inspections failed to provide assurance that environmental hygiene was being effectively managed in line with best practice guidelines.
Hiqa said it was concerning that this was similar to findings from unannounced inspections in 2014 and 2015.
It said: “A collective approach to the implementation of good practice by all staff is needed. This will require more effective leadership at all levels, and more effective governance at a senior level within the hospital to promote best practice in environmental hygiene.
“A full review of all aspects of environmental hygiene service delivery and associated management in the hospital is recommended as a matter of priority.”
Limerick
An unannounced inspection at Croom Hospital, Co Limerick, found that some of the recommendations from a 2014 inspection had been taken on board.
“However Hiqa was concerned with the lack of action with regard to implementation of reviewed cleaning schedules since the 2014 inspection,” the report said.
“Overall Hiqa found the theatre department to be generally clean with some exceptions.
“However, Hiqa was concerned that the infrastructure of current facilities in use for the reprocessing of reusable invasive medical devices in Croom Hospital is not in line with current good practice guidelines and standards,” is said.
“Reprocessing of reusable invasive medical devices in the hospital needs to be revised as a matter of priority and controls and plans need to be put in place to mitigate any risk identified with non-compliance with national standards.”
Another unannounced inspection at Letterkenny University Hospital, Co Donegal, found “a significant level of improvement” in hygiene compared to the last Hiqa inspection in 2015.
The report noted a few exceptions: “The infrastructure of the renal dialysis unit was not in line with desirable modern standards for such facilities and this needs to be addressed.
“Preventative measures to control nosocomial aspergillosis need to be implemented in line with national guidelines in order to protect at risk patients.
“Opportunities for improvement were identified in relation to the maintenance of the main hospital entrance lobby and public toilet facilities in that area. “
