Resident swallowed rubber glove at St John of God-run home

A St John of God-run home in Co Wicklow was threatened with closure when a resident had to be hospitalised after swallowing a rubber glove, according to an inspection report.

The Health Information and Quality Authority threatened to cancel the registration of the Ravenswell centre due to “serious breaches of regulations which put residents at risk”. The centre accommodates nine higher-dependency people with intellectual disabilities.

Inspectors found waste bins overflowing at the rear of the premises “with rubbish and waste strewn on the ground”.

An incident log for 2016 showed 80 incidents, including scratches, bruises and body marks found on residents, as well as falls, peer-to-peer incidents and self-injury.

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Following the discovery of the rubber glove incident, the provider, St John of God Community Services, notified Hiqa about alleged neglect on the part of the staff team.

A follow-up inspection last March found the provider had begun to tackle the risks but further improvements were needed.

Inspectors found there was no evidence of residents having any choice, control or consultation in terms of who their homes were shared with. “Privacy and dignity arrangements were found to be compromised in the centre on this inspection due to lack of appropriate toilet and washing facilities.”

They concluded the governance and management of the centre remains a concern.

An inspection of Gort na Mara in Co Louth, also run by SJOGCS, found some residents were vulnerable to witnessing incidents of aggressive behaviour displayed by other residents and an issue arose with regard to the management of one residents’ finances. However, these issues had been addressed and Hiqa found very good levels of compliance in most areas.