Health Inspectors have flagged a number of issues with infection control at an East Clare nursing home where a “large number” of residents and staff previously tested positive for COVID-19.
The issues have been raised following an inspection by HIQA of The Lakes Nursing Home in Kilaloe.
Management have taken action in line with the report’s recommendations, as Clare FM’s Josh Prenderville reports.
There’s a lot of praise for The Lakes Nursing Home in this report, with some of that reported by its residents.
It’s also been found to be compliant or substantially compliant in 19 of 22 areas assessed.
The inspection was conducted in June, in the months after COVID-19 first impacted the Killaloe facility – the report states that a “large number of residents and staff” had previously tested positive at the time of ‘whole-centre’ testing, and that the HSE had provided additional nursing staff when its own workers were self-isolating.
An area of concern highlighted in the report concerns infection control.
Additional sinks which had been installed for handwashing did not have sensor-operated taps, there were insufficient wall-mounted hand sanitisers in hall areas, and it was also found that the bedroom doors of two people who were in an isolation area were held in the open position, and it was not possible to see a “precaution” sign of any sort on the doors.
The inspector also found that it was not possible to clean the centre to the standard required as a result of premises defects.
Responding to the report, the nursing home has taken a number of actions to bring the centre in line with regulations.
Temporary sinks are being replaced with permanent ones, additional hand sanitiser stations have been installed, and the bedroom doors of residents in isolation are now closed with signs are now clearly displayed.
You can read the full report here
