A HIQA inspection of an Ennis designated centre for older people has found residents were reluctant to ring call bells due to concerns around staff shortages.
Ennis Nursing Home was found to be non-compliant in two areas of the inspection which was carried out in May of this year.
The HIQA inspection of the Ennis facility took place on the 3rd of May of this year following a previous inspection in June of 2022.
While one resident said the facility was a “magnficent” place to live, others complained about the length of time it took staff to answer call bells.
Several residents told the inspectors they “hesitated” in ringing the bells as they felt staff were under pressure while one resident said staff answer bells but “not too quickly” and another said “you can’t expect staff to answer quickly as they are very busy”.
It was noted that the previous inspection found that calls bells were often out of reach of residents while some residents did not have access to a call bell and management had failed to address this issue as per its compliance plan.
Largely for this reason, the inspection found the facility non-compliant in the area of governance and management.
In addition, a number of issues were highlighted in terms of the upkeep of the premises such as damaged wardrobes, lockers and drawers in bedrooms.
As a result, the facility was found to be non-compliant with regard to the condition of the premises.
However, the inspection found Ennis Nursing Home compliant or substantially compliant in all other areas with the report stating patients were “supported and encouraged to enjoy a satisfactory quality of life”.
The facility has stated in its obligatory compliance plan that it will “ensure that the designated centre has sufficient resources to ensure the effective delivery of care” going forward.
