Sinn Féin TD for Waterford David Cullinane has said that a recent batch of Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) reports, published this week, has highlighted significant concerns around a number of nursing homes, including a care home in Waterford.
Multiple concerns were identified in a report on Kilbarry Care Centre this week, as reported on WLR.
Deputy Cullinane said that this adds to the very serious issues raised by RTÉ earlier this month.
He added that the testimony of HIQA at the Oireachtas Health Committee last week showed that the regulatory enforcement system is not up to scratch.
Inspection report
Deputy Cullinane said:
“The nursing home regulator HIQA published a number of inspection reports this week, including one for a nursing home in Waterford.
“Worryingly, this report highlighted physical and verbal abuse by and against residents at the home, and that the home in question had not taken all reasonable measures to protect residents from abuse. It also found that the home was not compliant with regulations to ensure that the service is safe and properly monitored, that staff are appropriately trained, and that the centre is properly resourced to provide effective care.
“Reports such as this add to the anxiety caused by the revelations of highly distressing neglect and abuse at some other nursing homes which was highlighted by RTÉ earlier this month.
“HIQA was questioned at the Oireachtas Health Committee last week, and their testimony was troubling. It is clear that the regulatory enforcement system for nursing homes is not up to scratch. HIQA cannot apply fines where nursing homes are found non-compliant with regulations, even when a home is repeatedly non-compliant. HIQA has limited options to bring a nursing home to Court for sanction, and its only other tool is the ‘nuclear option’ of closing a home. This is far from satisfactory.”
Further powers for HIQA
Deputy Cullinane continued: “If a person is caught littering or speeding, they can be fined on the spot. But if a nursing home is repeatedly non-compliant with the law, but uses the right legalistic language, they escape without penalty. That is not right. While nursing homes should be given the opportunity to make changes, HIQA must be given the powers to issue fines where it is appropriate.
“The Government has been talking for years about Adult Safeguarding legislation. That must now be prioritised to improve legal protections for older people, to introduce mandatory reporting of suspected abuse or neglect, and provide a legal right of entry for social workers. It should also provide legal protections for families to protect visiting access to nursing homes. This legislation must also deal with wider societal issues such as coercion, abuse, and neglect whether in a person’s home or elsewhere.”
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