A review into St Joseph’s Hospital in Ennis has found a decision not to shower some residents for a period of months during a COVID-19 outbreak there was done ‘in good faith’.
The HSE had apologised to residents and their families following the initial HIQA findings last year.
HIQA’s inspection back in March 2021, published that May, found some residents went ‘periods of months’ in which they say they were not allowed to shower as a result of decisions taken to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
A significant outbreak of the virus had occurred in the time up to the inspection at St Joseph’s, resulting in 32 positive cases and six deaths.
The findings prompted outcry in political and public circles, with the HSE issuing an apology and pledging an independent review into St Joseph’s.
That’s now been published having been completed in March of this year.
The independent findings state that ‘no evidence’ was found that any operational decisions were taken at the time other than in the best interests of residents, and that the primary motivation was to keep them safe.
In the case of the unit concerned, personal care in the form of bed bathing and other measures were administered rather than showers, and this is deemed to have been done in good faith.
The review team has issued 13 recommendations for St Joseph’s, including a ‘comprehensive overhaul’ of staff training, and an action plan should be developed to address ‘deficits’ identified in the HIQA inspection.
