Several allegations of abuse of residents at a south Dublin nursing home were made to the Health Information and Quality Authority before it sought an interim court order to close it down, it has emerged.
The alleged incidents of serious elder abuse involving physical and verbal abuse of a number of residents at Rostrevor nursing home in Rathgar were conveyed to Hiqa inspectors when they visited the home last month.
Three members of staff told them that a male care assistant had physically and verbally abused a number of residents over a number of years from mid-2008 up to his recent dismissal from the home.
The staff who provided Hiqa with the information were frightened and concerned they could lose their jobs, according to the affidavit provided to the District Court by Hiqa in the case.
The staff alleged that in late 2010 the male care assistant banged the head of an elderly resident against a door jamb. It is alleged the care attendant subsequently called staff members together and instructed them to say the man had fallen and hit his head on a hoist if they were asked about it by the man's son as he had bruising and blood on his face.
In another alleged incident the staff members said the male care assistant routinely took an elderly woman resident to the bathroom on his own and had in the past told other staff that only he on his own could take her to the bathroom. When he did so other staff members heard the woman screaming.
The affidavit provided by Hiqa also raised concerns about the level of falls in the home, lack of risk management and concerns about governance structures at the home.
It said it had serious and immediate concerns regarding the life, health and welfare of the 23 residents in the home and sought an immediate court order to cancel the home's registration to protect the residents from risk.
The court order was granted and the HSE has now taken over the running of the home and is trying to find alternative placements for the residents.
Minister of State with Responsibility for Older People Kathleen Lynch said this afternoon she was "horrified" by the allegations and said the reports showed the need for the introduction of whistleblowers' legislation.