Residents with disabilities at HSE home at ‘constant risk of abuse’, watchdog finds

The HSE is still failing to show it has "capacity" or "capability" to provide a safe home to adults with intellectual disabilities, the health watchdog has found, five years after a damning report about the same Co Donegal centre.

In four reports on the Ard Gréine campus in Stranorlar published on Friday, the Health, Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) said residents had "a poor quality of life" and were "at constant risk of abuse", and management "did not ensure the service provided was safe".

Inspections in March 2016 and May 2016 had uncovered serious shortcomings at the 40-bed centre for adults with intellectual disabilities. These included failure to properly investigate allegations of severe peer-on-peer abuse, “serious failings in the governance and management … which impacted on the quality and safety of care” and serious gaps in risk-management.

The HSE responded at the time with commitments to enhance governance and safeguarding and address all issues raised.

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The campus, now subdivided into four designated centres, was inspected on four separate visits on dates in March and April this year.

Assaults and abuse

In one centre, which has seven adults: “Inspectors found that there were a significant number of incidents [including] physical assaults, psychological and emotional abuse, and sexual exposure by a resident to others.

An “incompatibility” of residents’ needs and a “high level of challenging behaviour” meant “the rights of residents were not protected.

In another section, home to 12 people, inspectors found that “risks relating to the management of residents’ needs in the centre had deteriorated, and incidents of self-harm, physical and psychological abuse towards staff and residents had increased to a daily occurrence”.

“The provider did not demonstrate that they had the capacity and the capability to deliver a safe, quality service.”

In two further bungalows, home to nine adults, a resident at risk of choking was not provided with appropriate food or supports to minimise this risk. Another resident had lost the use of their legs because there had not been enough staff to consistently help with a prescribed exercise programme.

Another resident had become blind following a self- injury, but despite being diagnosed as needing surgery, the staff had no details of when or if this would occur. In responses, the HSE said it had addressed or was in the process of addressing all issues raised.