Naked residents, 7pm bedtimes – the distressing recent findings

ST John of God centres work with people who have intellectual disabilities, mental health challenges or health problems caused by being elderly.

In recent months a number of the centres have been sharply criticised by health watchdog HIQA, with examples of unsafe practice cited in reports.

DRUMCAR, CO. LOUTH: This was inspected in February 2015, and again in April 2015, when inspectors issued a notice to cancel the residential centre’s registration. Inspectors found residents hitting each other and one was admitted to hospital because their diet had not been adjusted as recommended by outside medics. They found plans to move residents were not being acted upon and risk of infections caused by a lack of cleaning timetables for medical equipment.

BEAUFORT, CO. KERRY: Nurses threatened strike action in response to dramatic changes to their shifts. They claimed their shifts were now so long it would affect how services were delivered, while at the same time leaving staff numbers low at key periods during the day. Staff claimed that savings were not being achieved through the changes. This was eventually resolved through the Labour Workplace Commission, with a significant meeting taking place on the Friday of the June bank holiday weekend, despite the absence of some key staff.

ST AUGUSTINE’S SCHOOL, BLACKROCK, DUBLIN: This week it emerged that vocational life skills programmes are to be removed from the school that caters for teenage students from around Leinster. The classes, including cooking and sport, were what attracted families to the school, as they offer teens with special needs the opportunity to gain vital skills. Twenty-six staff at St Augustine’s school are being sent to work in adult centres, leaving parents shocked at not getting any notice of this change. Letters were sent home with the teenagers and many knew about the change before their parents, causing them to become very distressed.

ST RAPHAEL’S, CELBRIDGE, CO. KILDARE: This centre was also closed by the order in February this year following a series of distressing findings by HIQA. This included finding a resident wearing no clothes on their lower body and another wearing no clothes above the waist. Residents were going to bed at 7pm in the summer due to staff shortages.