A court has heard a Kerry nursing home was “a centre in chaos” when HIQA inspectors visited.
The Health Information and Quality Authority brought two applications before Listowel District Court, the first being an order to cancel the registration of Bolden (Nursing) Limited from operating Oaklands Nursing Home in Derry, Listowel.
It also sought that the HSE be given authority to take over the control of the centre from 5pm this evening.
Both applications were granted.
The applications were brought by the Chief Inspector of Social Services with HIQA, with the HSE as a notice party, against Bolden (Nursing) Limited, the operator of Oaklands Nursing Home.
They arose following a number of inspections at the centre, both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Earlier this month, 31 residents and 16 staff at Oaklands contracted COVID-19.
Barrister for HIQA, Brian Gageby, said there was consent to the applications by Bolden (Nursing) Limited.
The company wasn’t represented in court.
Susan Cliff, Deputy Chief Inspector of Social Services with HIQA, gave evidence to Judge David Waters.
She said Oaklands has had seven inspections over the past year, well above the usual two per centre, due to HIQA’s heightened level of concern for the safety of residents, governance and management at the centre, and a lack of contingency arrangements over and above the threat posed by COVID-19.
Ms Cliff said previous inspections raised a number of issues, many of which went unresolved due to the lack of a “culture change” in the centre.
A September inspection found concerns around meal times, domestic cleaning products being used, failure to prepare COVID-19 self-isolation facilities, and a failure to consider the impact of COVID-19, mostly notably as all staff were in contact with all residents.
When an inspector arrived on the 4th November, they found a “centre in chaos”: COVID-positive residents were mingling with non-COVID patients; residents were “wandering around the centre”, residents hadn’t been informed some staff had tested positive but had been asymptomatic, and those presenting with classic COVID symptoms were not treated as potential positive cases.
Additionally, Ms Cliff said that, on the same day, the inspector wasn’t subjected to any procedures when entering the centre, such as receiving PPE, their temperature being taken, and no questions on possible symptoms being asked.
There was no backup for an out-of-order IT system and some prescriptions for end of life medication were out of date; the court heard this could result in residents not being given what they needed to remain comfortable in their final moments.
Judge David Waters told Ms Cliff there was no need to continue as he had heard enough.
He granted both orders sought, with the result being the HSE will take over running of Oaklands Nursing Home at 5 o'clock this evening.
