HSE seeking to address compliance issues at Mayo nursing home

The HSE, operators of the MacBride Community Nursing Home in Westport, has been found to have failed to bring the centre into compliance with care and welfare regulations.

Matters were brought to the organisation’s attention by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) last December to ensure it would carry out necessary works in line with its conditions of registration.

However, an unannounced inspection conducted at the centre last April found that while some improvements were carried out, they did not go far enough in addressing the compliance breach.

The December inspection has been conducted to assess compliance with the Health Act 2007 following an outbreak of Covid-19 in the designated centre and to follow up on the non-compliance from a previous inspection in March 2021.

In the latest inspection report, published by HIQA on August 18, the authority found that there was a well-established core staff team to care for residents.

However, a number of staff had left the centre in the previous 12 months and had not been replaced.

Inspector Ann Wallace said: “Staff vacancies were covered by agency staff and staff shared with other designated centres in the area.

“This resource was not sustainable and did not ensure that all tasks were carried out in a timely manner including the organisation of storage and deliveries and the completion of regular fire safety checks.

“Quality assurance processes had been strengthened since the December 2021 inspection. However, the oversight of key areas, such as premises and fire safety, were not robust and did not adequately ensure the safety and well-being of the residents.

“In addition a number of risks identified and escalated to the senior management team within the HSE had not been addressed in a timely manner.

“For example, the damaged roof was highlighted in an inspection report in March 2021. However, the roof survey had only just been completed in February 2022 and the report was still not available at the time of the inspection.

“This meant that the provider still did not have a time bound plan to carry out the repairs required.

“Furthermore the extensive damage to the roof and any potential fire safety risks as a result of this damage had not been investigated by the HSE.”

On the issue of staff, the inspector said there were enough staff with the appropriate knowledge and skills to care for the 18 residents living in the designated centre on the day of the inspection. However there were a number of staff vacancies that had not been filled and the current staffing levels would not be adequate when the centre returned to full occupancy of 29 residents.

“The current staffing resource was not adequate for 29 residents in line with the centre’s conditions of registration and statement of purpose.

"The current staff vacancies in key areas such as cleaning and the general operative were being covered by agency staff or staff from other designated centres. This was impacting on the effective organisation of the day to day care and services,” stated Ms. Wallace.

In general, Ms. Wallace found that residents received care and services from a well-established staff team who knew them well. Care was person centred and resident's rights to privacy and dignity were upheld in most areas.

"However significant improvements were required to ensure that the premises was a safe and suitable environment for the residents."

On the staff vacancies issue, the HSE said the required documentation has been completed and sent to recruitment to fill the 25 vacant clinical nurse manager (CNM2) hours and the general operative post.

“This was offered to current RNs inhouse but there was no interest expressed in the position and there was no interest from current CNM2 panel.

“A bespoke campaign is to be sought for the CNM 2 position and agencies have been contacted in regard to filling the post.

“The unit is staffed safely for the number of residents on site and increase in occupancy will only happen when the necessary staff are in place to meet the residents’ needs.”

On the issue of the damaged roof, the HSE said works have been put out to tender and they are awaiting that process to be completed and a contractor appointed.