A CARE CENTRE for people with intellectual disabilities used money belonging to one of its residents to buy items for the facility, an inspection found.
A report by Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) found the man’s money was used to buy cutlery, soft furnishings and a fireplace for The Broomfield Centre in Louth.
The centre, which is run by St John of God Services, is home to 22 adult male residents with intellectual disabilities. Over the course of the inspection in September last year, the centre failed 14 out of 18 tests.
In the case of the man whose money was used to buy furnishings for the centre, the report said he had no independent representative or next of kin. It said his finances had not been managed appropriately.
Inspectors were informed during feedback that a review would be completed with a view to repaying the resident for the items.
Another major concern identified was free access, through unlocked interconnecting doors, from the adult centre to an adjoining respite service where children were accommodated. HIQA said this posted a risk to vulnerable persons. The issue was addressed by the person in charge during the inspection.
Assaults
The report also found there were inadequate measures to protect residents from being harmed or suffering abuse. There were 44 reported incidents of abusive behaviour between residents and up to 30 other incidents of abuse or assaults by residents on staff in an eight month period.
Most of these incidents occurred in areas of the centre with higher numbers of residents.
Records showed up to 14 of the 52 staff had not received training in the management of aggression and violence and other care workers had not attended refresher training.
Other issues related to residents’ bedrooms being unable to facilitate items such as armchairs, televisions, mirrors or shelving and the communal environment where up to nine residents were accommodated being noisy.
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