Health Service Executive inspectors who visited a Co Cork nursing home last July observed dead cockroaches in the building's treatment room and a spillage - possibly urine - being cleaned up in the dining room with a mop from the home's kitchen, newly released inspection reports have revealed.
Following their first inspection of the newly built Oaklodge Nursing Home in Cloyne, Co Cork, on July 17th this year, the HSE inspectors also raised concerns about contract cleaners being scheduled to work only three days a week. As a result, care attendants were being asked to clean bedrooms and other areas at other times.
"It may not [be] possible to adequately clean all the circulation areas and bedrooms in this time," the report notes. "This is a high-risk environment which has cleaning requirements over a 24-hour period and this must be planned for in all cleaning rosters and routines.
"The inspection team was concerned about cleaning responsibilities and training. On the day of our visit a spillage had to be mopped up in the dining room while we were in there. It is possible that this was urine, as will often occur in a nursing home."
A mop from the kitchen was used to clean this spillage, the report continues. "This should not occur. All food cleaning materials must be kept separate at all times for use within the food preparation areas."
The report notes that staff at the nursing home were courteous and helpful to the inspection team, and that any issues which arose were discussed with the nurse on duty. But it also states that on the day of the visit, dead cockroaches were found in the treatment room. "This is not acceptable. The source should be investigated and eliminated. A specialist pest company should be called in to advise on dealing and managing this serious issue."
Overall, the 12 new reports, published on the HSE website as part of a new standardised inspection process, are broadly similar to those which appeared for the first time last month. They bring to 31 the total number of reports now available to the public online. The new reports frequently state that the institutions have been found to be in "substantial" compliance with the regulations or highlight relatively minor breaches.