Residents at a Co Kildare nursing home were at risk of financial abuse according to the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), when service fees were charged by a provider without being “clearly outlined”.
Contracts of care reviewed during a HIQA inspection did not explain what services residents could choose to pay for if they were not covered by the Nursing Home Support Scheme or provided as part of their health services.
An inspection report published today cited residents being invoiced for hairdressing charges, which were not listed.
The provider acknowledged that contracts of care and charging practices did not ensure all services provided and associated fees were within residents’ contracts of care.
The provider arranged to refund money owed.
The unnannounced inspection in June also found that four out of six staff in the home had commenced their employment at the centre before their garda vetting disclosure was received.
An urgent action was issued by HIQA’s chief inspector for an assurance that all staff working in the centre had current vetting.
A compliance plan was returned but “did not provide appropriate assurances” which prompted the second inspection day.
By the end of the second day inspectors were assured that there were no staff working in the centre without a garda vetting disclosure.
The inspection report is one of 50 related to residential centres for older people published by HIQA today.
A home in Co Clare was found to be non-compliant in 13 out of 15 regulations.
The designated centre which forms part of a wider organisational structure of Emeis, resulted in a number of concerns relating to infection prevention and control.
An urgent compliance plan was requested from the provider to ensure the protection of residents.
Inspectors also found that there were insufficient staffing resources available to respond to unplanned staff leave across nursing, health care, housekeeping and laundry rosters.
While agency staff were used to support staffing deficits, agency personnel could not always be sourced to fill vacant shifts according to the report.
The provider introduced stronger infection-control measures, including an outbreak control team, active infection surveillance, updated procedures, PPE training, improved cleaning and laundry processes, and regular infection prevention control audits.
Of the 50 centres inspected, 22 were either fully compliant or substantially compliant with the regulations.
Levels of non-compliance varied in the remaining inspection reports.