SIR PATRICK DUN’S nursing home in Dublin is set to close in coming weeks following concerns that the building is not fit for purpose and that there are weaknesses in management structures at the centre.
An unannounced inspection carried out by the Health Information and Quality Authority in September uncovered significant problems at the home, which is owned and managed by the HSE.
The inspection report, which was published yesterday by the authority, found the premises – an 1850s building that was adapted for use as a nursing home in 1997 – as “not fit for purpose”.
There was inadequate sitting, recreational and dining space provided for residents, and fire management and precautions required significant improvement, according to the report.
On the day of inspection, a fire exit was seen to be blocked by a linen trolley and there was no fire escape plan displayed on walls, which should show doors and exits.
Inspectors found the person in charge of the home (who is also responsible for a number of other centres) was “not sufficiently engaged in the governance, operational management and administration of the centre”. It was also unclear as to the number of hours the person in charge was present in the centre on a regular and consistent basis.
The assistant director of nursing was, at the time of inspection, due to retire and there was no contingency plan in place to manage her departure and provide for that role. The staff rota was unclear and the inspectors were concerned that there were insufficient staff to maintain residents’ safety, in view of the dependency levels at the home.
“One resident had experienced a fracture as a result of a fall which occurred at 9.10pm one evening. The inspector observed nine residents seated in wheelchairs in the sitting room and they were unsupervised,” it said.
The report said there was no comprehensive environmental risk assessment undertaken despite observed risks such as residents being able to leave the centre through the garden unaccompanied by staff.
This could pose a risk as a number of residents were diagnosed with dementia, cognitive impairment and “risk of wandering”, according to inspectors.
However, the report concluded that overall residents received a satisfactory quality of service and had spoken highly of staff.
The HSE notified the authority on August 5th, 2010, that the nursing home would close.
The inspector was also told that plans were in place to transfer the residents to a newly built Clonskeagh hospital within six months.
A HSE spokeswoman said all 16 long-stay residents had opted to transfer to the new facility, which is in the final stages of completion.