HIQA reports ‘major’ problems in Wicklow nursing home

Unsafe medication management, a risk of falls and a danger of choking are among a large number of concerns raised in a Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) nursing home report.

Hiqa has reported "serious and significant concerns" regarding health and safety at the Dargle Valley private nursing home in Cookstown, Co Wicklow. The unannounced inspection, over six days in November 2013, found that "immediate action" was needed to bring the centre back to a level of compliance with the 2007 Health Act.

Hiqa inspectors reported that the director of the nursing home, Deirdre MacDonnell, showed “insufficient governance and leadership”.

They said the home was ill equipped to deal with residents at risk of falling and that “neurological observations” were not routinely recorded following head injuries. One resident suffered 16 falls between October 31st and November 9th last year with no new measures put in place to monitor him.

Hiqa reported “very poor manual handling practices” when using hoists and found a number of residents had no access to a functioning call bell. Inspectors also found “major” problems with staff medication-management practices, that restraints were used when it was deemed unsafe and that wound-assessment charts were not completed.

Nursing home records showed that one resident’s wound on November 6th was left undressed until November 11th.

The nursing home has responded to Hiqa with commitments including staff refresher training courses, improvements in fall monitoring and a focus on the positioning needs of residents at meal times. It has also established a clinical governance committee to oversee risk management in the centre.

Dargle Valley told The Irish Times that management and staff had responded with "urgency and immediacy" to address the actions laid out by the Hiqa inspection.