Covid-19: Kerry nursing home found 'in chaos' is taken over by HSE
The Home Nursing Oaklands
The Health Service Executive has taken control of a privately-run nursing home after it found elderly residents with positive Covid-19 tests mingling with other vulnerable residents.
The nursing home in north Kerry was described as a "centre in chaos" where there was a "serious risk to life", at a hearing in Listowel District Court today.
As of 5pm today, the HSE took control of Oakland’s Nursing Home, Derry, Listowel and is making alternative arrangements for its elderly residents, on foot of an order sought at short notice in court.
An application by the chief inspector of Social Services and HIQA further succeeded in cancelling the registration of the company operating Oaklands, Bolden (Nursing) Ltd, as the registered provider of a nursing home.
The HSE was a notice party in the proceedings, barrister for HIQA Brian Gageby informed the court.
A HSE team who entered the nursing home on November 4 on foot of residents testing positive “found a centre in chaos”, deputy chief inspector Social Services and HIQA, Susan Cliff said.
There had already been "a high level of concern" and this year there had been seven inspections.
Two visits is the normal "maximum" inspection rate per year for nursing homes, Ms Cliff told Judge David Waters.
There had been concerns that the management structure at the nursing home was insufficient, and that the culture needed to become “ more person-centred”, Ms Cliff said.
When inspectors visited on September 30 last, they again found a poor culture of care, and there were very “specific issues", she said.
Those concerns were heightened because of Covid-19.
There were no empty rooms for patients who might test positive for Covid-19, she said.
“All staff were in contact with all patients,” she added.
On November 4 last, on foot of information that a number of residents tested positive, the HSE “immediately” sent a team.
“They found a centre in chaos,” Ms Cliff said.
Residents were "wandering unsupervised" and those who tested positive were mingling with non-positive residents.
Some staff had tested positive and were asymptomatic and residents were not notified.
Residents with “classic” Covid-19 symptoms — coughs and temperatures — were not being monitored.
“Alarm bells should have been firing off in this centre and it didn’t happen,” Ms Cliff said.
There were “no restrictions or checks on people coming or going” to the centre.
When inspectors entered the centre on November 4, there were no checks.
"It was a centre in chaos on that day,” she replied to Judge Waters.
Ms Cliff also outlined concerns about medication management.
The IT system was out of order and there was nothing to back it up.
End of life medication prescriptions were out of date.
The result of this would be that patients may not get the medication required to make them comfortable in their last days, Ms Cliff explained.
The respondent, Bolden Ltd, was not represented in court. However there was consent to the application, the court also heard.
Judge Waters said he had heard enough and said given the poor clinical governance and the poor infection control measures he was satisfied there was “serious risk to life and welfare of persons in the centre”.
He granted the orders under Sections 59 and 64 of the Health Act 2007.
Meanwhile, the number of nursing homes receiving intensive support to tackle Covid-19 outbreaks has more than doubled in the last week.
Currently, there are 144 homes receiving HSE assistance with 10 in the status red category - up from four this time last week.
HSE Chief Operations Officer, Anne O'Connor, said there are currently 105 outbreaks in nursing homes across the country.
"Most of those are being managed very well so an outbreak does not mean that we are in there 'boots on the ground'. An outbreak is just an outbreak.
"There is a much smaller number - 10 - that I would have concerns about. We are providing very intensive supports."