THE MENTAL HEALTH Commission has found that privacy in the Department of Psychiatry in Waterford Regional Hospital has reached ‘critical’ levels of risk.
The independent report, which assessed the department for a number of issues, found that residents’ privacy had not been respected by staff.
The hospital’s policy required that “bed screens, lockers and availability of a private room for discussions” be provided, but the report found that no one had been assigned to ensure that this was done.
Annual reviews by the hospital of their privacy policy were also not carried out.
The report included the following statement:
"On the first morning of the inspection, two residents were accommodated in beds on the corridor of the acute area of the ward.
These residents were on full view to all residents, visitors and staff in the acute area and there was no provision at all to safeguard their privacy; these two beds did not have the protection of screens around the beds. One of the residents had been accommodated in this way for the previous six days.
"A number of residents were observed to be dressed in hospital ‘scrubs’ as night attire, which did not respect their dignity."
In the 2015 inspection, the service had submitted a corrective action/preventive action in relation to the breach of Regulation 21 (which is in relation to patient privacy).
It said that, if a bed wasn't available in the acute area and a vacant single room was available in the sub-acute area, residents would be accommodated in the sub-acute area, with a special one-to-one nurse.
But the inspection team found that although a vacant room was available in the sub-acute area, two residents continued to be accommodated in beds in the corridor of the acute area.
The hospital also failed in providing therapeutic services and programmes to all patients in its facilities. Although there was a programme for the majority of patients, there was "no similar programme for residents in the acute area".
There was an occupational therapy room located at the rear of the acute area but this showed little evidence of use; there was no equipment or signs of activity.
There was also no visitors' room in the acute area.
Regulation 21 is a section of the report seeks to "ensure that the resident's privacy and dignity is appropriately respected at all times".
'Inadequate' recreational activities
The report also found that recreational activities for patients were inadequate and at critical level.
Although "new recreational equipment had been purchased... there was no evidence of review of recreational opportunities for residents of the acute area".
"There was good provision of recreational activities in the subacute area of the unit, Mondays to Fridays. One resident spoke of the lack of activities and being bored at weekends."
Waterford Regional Hospital's Psychiatry department contains two areas: sub-acute area with 34 beds, and the acute area which holds ten beds.
During the inspection there were 42 residents on each day, four of whom were detained patients.
Every approved centre registered by the Mental Health Commission must under law be inspected at least once a year.
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