A NURSING HOME in Dublin has confirmed that it has dismissed four care assistants as a result of an internal investigation.
The investigation was launched after a number of alleged incidents came to light in which residents’ privacy had been breached.
In a statement to TheJournal.ie, Beechfield Manor Nursing Home in Shankill said:
The residents’ families have been kept fully informed and Beechfield representatives are meeting with the families concerned. We have indicated to the families that we are sorry that this has happened and for any upset caused.
“While Beechfield is not aware of any safety issues arising in connection with the situation, we have treated the matter with the utmost seriousness.”
Beechfield Manor Nursing Home, located in Shankill, Co Dublin, provides full-time residential care to 68 elderly residents and currently employs 65 care and housekeeping staff on a full- and part-time basis.
In the past week, Beechfield has notified the HSE, HIQA and the gardai that it had suspended four staff members, and Beechfield has now initiated a full review of the matter.
In a statement, HIQA, which has responsibility for standards in nursing homes said:
HIQA is aware of this case having been notified, as per the relevant regulations, by the provider of the nursing home. A regulatory process is underway and we do not make any comments while this is happening so as not to prejudice the outcome of that process.
When asked if there is a garda investigation into what happened, the Garda Press Office responded:
We do not comment on named individuals or organisations.
HIQA investigation
The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) conducted an inspection of the nursing home back in April of this year. It was found overall to be compliant, but the report identified certain areas which were non-compliant:
…Some improvements were identified, with a number of non compliances identified. There were 13 actions required. These were in relation to the outcomes on governance, risk management, medication management, care planning, and an aspect of the physical environment.
In the specific areas of the inspection that are relevant to the current complaint – notifications of incidents, complaints procedures, residents’ rights and suitable staffing – the nursing home was found to meet the necessary standards by HIQA inspectors.
The nursing home was found to be ‘substantially compliant’ in complaints procedures, which involves documenting the complaint, notifying HIQA and once the issue is resolved, following up with the person who lodged the complaint to ensure that they are satisfied their problem has been addressed.
In relation to staffing, the nursing home were found to have the adequate number of staff in the nursing home, and the behaviour was appropriate and respectful inside the nursing home.
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