Hygiene and Behavior Concerns Found at Waterford Care Home by HIQA Report

HIQA inspectors found serious concerns about hygiene and challenging behaviour at a Waterford care home, according to a new inspection report. During an unannounced inspection of the Kilbarry Care Centre in January, HIQA found the facility to be non-compliant in five of the 17 areas measured. As part of their inspection, HIQA spoke to residents, examined documents and observed interactions between staff and those in their care.

While inspectors noted that the staff were kind and supportive of residents, interventions for challenging behaviour were not adequate to protect all residents. The report said: 'As a result, there were times when shouting and other loud noises were heard in the corridor and the day room. This resulted in a noisy, tense and unpleasant living environment for the other residents, some of whom were seen to be upset, curse, or display an agitated reaction and seek to leave the surrounding area.'

Inspectors found that a vacancy for a housekeeping supervisor had an impact on the standard of environmental hygiene and infection control. The inspectors noted that while residents told them they were happy with the laundry service, examination of previous complaints showed a need for improvement. This was especially true in the Memory Unit.

Some rooms on the ground floor were 'visibly unclean' and cooked food and dairy products were not stored properly. There was a 'strong malodour' at the entrance of the Memory Unit, the day room and the assisted toilet. In some cases, medications were not stored properly, but overall, the centre was substantially compliant.

The service was compliant in healthcare, care plans, complaints, staff training and development and records. It was substantially compliant in residents' rights, staffing, premises, food and nutrition and medicine and pharmaceutical services.

Following the inspection, the centre outlined a full set of measures they intended to take to address the concerns of inspectors. All staff were due to complete training in challenging behaviour by the end of March. Some staff were undertaking dementia-specific training. An additional housekeeper was recruited and there was, at the time of publishing, an active campaign underway seeking a supervisor. Additional hours had also been allocated to housekeeping. Routines and work practices were reviewed, as were food and medicine storage. All staff will complete food hygiene training.

The Kilbarry Care Centre at Carrigea Crescent, Kilbarry is operated by Mowlam Healthcare Services. It provides long-term, respite, dementia and palliative care for adults over 18 years. The facility has a capacity for 90 residents but 88 people were living at the centre during the two-day inspection.

According to the source: waterford-news.ie.