THE HEALTH Service Executive has taken over the running of a private nursing home in Bray, Co Wicklow, after serious concerns were raised for the health and welfare of its residents.
The HSE was brought in after the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) got an interim District Court order to deregister Glenbervie Nursing Home on Sidmonton Road, Bray, on Monday night.
The HSE has now begun managing the home and will be required to find appropriate alternative accommodation for its 27 elderly residents.
The matter is due back before the District Court on April 22nd.
In a short statement yesterday Hiqa said: “Pursuant to Sections 59 and 60 of the Health Act, 2007, an interim order was made by the District Court in Bray, Co Wicklow, on 29 March 2010, cancelling the registration of Glenbervie Nursing Home, Sidmonton Road, Bray, Co Wicklow, as a designated centre under part 8 of the Health Act, 2007, with effect from 9am on 30 March, 2010.
“In accordance with Section 64 of the Health Act, 2007, the HSE was directed to take charge of the nursing home from such time and to make alternative arrangements for the residents of the nursing home as soon as practicable.
“The matter is still before the courts and at this time Hiqa will not be making any public comment or statements until all legal proceedings have concluded.”
Under Section 59 of the Act, Hiqa can seek a court order to cancel the registration of a nursing home “if the chief inspector believes on reasonable grounds that there is a risk to the life, or a serious risk to the health or welfare of the persons resident” in a home.
An application for such an order, cancelling registration for up to 28 days, can be made without giving notice to the home. Such an ex parte application was made in this case.
No inspection report on the home has been published by Hiqa since it began inspecting public and private nursing homes last July.
However, an inspection report by the HSE last May found some drugs prescribed for residents were not administered, in some instances drugs were administered without being signed off by a doctor, nutritional risk assessment on some residents was incomplete, one resident had shown significant weight loss but there was no documentation to suggest a referral to a GP or dietician had been made, and in a some cases nursing assessment of residents was incomplete or nursing notes were inadequate.
It is understood the HSE had contracted a number of beds in the Bray home, which cost about €825 a week, for public long-stay residents.
The home, which opened in 1978, is run by husband and wife Noel and Anne Gillooly.