A Kerry care centre was found to be non-compliant with regulations to protect against infection.
Gortacoosh Accommodation Services in Glenflesk received an unannounced inspection by the Health Information and Quality Authority in February of this year.
The inspection was only examining compliance with regulations regarding protection against infection.
The Gortacoosh care centre was established in 2009, and is designed and operated to meet the specific needs of its two residents.
The unannounced inspection of the centre on February 10th found that residents who may be at risk of a healthcare associated infection were protected.
However, the inspector’s report noted there were some areas for improvement to ensure prevention and control of infections.
The inspector found refresher training was needed for staff in infection prevention practices, hand hygiene, and food prep and safety.
He noted some areas of the centre were not clean, and staff were not shown how to effectively clean.
Staff at the centre had to be reminded to wear masks, at a time when the mask mandate was still in effect, while they were seen to not always practice hand hygiene.
The report reflected positively on the care given to residents.
The inspector noted that both residents’ bedrooms were clean, airy and bright.
Each resident had one to one staff supports throughout the day, and residents had a waking staff member at night.
The inspector found that while some staff had contracted COVID-19 late last year, it had not impacted on the quality and safety of the service to residents.
He wrote that residents’ care plans indicated they were both accessing the local community to take part in activities of their choosing.
Governance in the centre was observed to be clear and well documented, and residents had individual risk assessments specific to COVID-19.
