A large HSE-run centre for highly dependent older people in Cork does not have enough toilets to cater for the number of residents it accommodates, according to a report.
St Finbarr’s Hospital was the subject of an announced inspection by the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) last May. While its 89 residents were found to receive a good standard of nursing and medical care, significant improvements were required.
The inspectors found that in three of the centre’s five units there was an “insufficient number of lavatories for the number of residents living in the centre” with only two toilets provided in each unit.
These three units were also found to be “unsuitable” to meet residents’ needs.
“This was mainly due to the limited space provided in the areas surrounding the beds,” said the report. “Residents’ privacy and dignity was compromised due to the close proximity of many of the beds. There was inadequate private accommodation for residents to ensure that residents’ privacy and dignity was met on a daily basis.
Challenges
“In these bedrooms, inspectors observed that residents were not able to undertake personal activities in private or meet with relatives in private.
In addition, there were numerous challenges posed by the structure and layout of the physical environment.”
Inspectors also criticised the facility for its failure to appropriately investigate the “unexplained bruising” of a resident until a relative made a complaint.
“A subsequent investigation concluded that the bruising may have been as a result of staff members assisting the resident to the ground to protect the resident from injury due to a near fall event,” said the inspection report.
The inspectors were also “not satisfied” staff demonstrated adequate awareness or responded appropriately to possible signs of abuse “by not investigating the unexplained bruising prior to it being brought to their attention by a relative”.
The report also found there was “inadequate storage space” for residents’ personal property and possessions. Each resident had been provided with a lockable metal box for storing valuables.
