The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Report highlights grave concerns over care unit
A REPORT by the Mental Health Commission has highlighted alarming concerns over services at one of the county’s main mental health care centres - the 32-bed O’Connor Unit on the grounds of the old St Finan’s Hospital in Killarney.
Grave concerns have been raised afresh about the centre following a number of findings made by inspectors who conducted unannounced visits over four days last November and December.
Meanwhile, a state-of-the-art care home, which was completed two years ago to accommodate many of the O’Connor Unit residents, lies idle nearby amid a ‘stalemate’ between the HSE and psychiatric nurses’ unions over staffing proposals.
Inspectors found a ‘high’ level of risk at the O’Connor Unit in everything from the area of ‘general health’ to the privacy of residents, the physical state of the ageing prefab-style unit to staffing, management procedures and the ordering, storing and administration of medicines.
Staff believe the report shows the unit is now no longer fit for purpose, a representative told The Kerryman.
“The O’Connor Unit, built in 1975, is clearly no longer fit for purpose and a transfer to Deer Lodge would solve many of the current problems,” Psychiatric Nurses’ Association spokesperson Cormac Williams told The Kerryman.
Staffing proposals for the new unit remain unacceptable to nurses, he said: “Howev- er, this is very unlikely to be settled in the near future as the dispute over staffing of Deer Lodge is nowhere being resolved, despite Workplace Relation Commission talks and proposals being drawn up. The interim proposals drawn up by the WRC on the opening of Deer Lodge were rejected by members of the Kerry branch of the Psychiatric Nurses Association and the dispute remains at an impasse.”
The Mental Health Commission report found the building was ‘not clean and maintained in good decorative condition’ as required by regulations.
‘The floors were badly stained; the paint was peeling from the walls; plaster was tearing away from the walls; the toilets and sinks were unclean... furnishings were old and torn.”
MHC inspectors rated the risk to staff and residents ‘high’ with one emergency light unplugged; ceiling slabs in the residents’ dormitory ‘saturated... and at risk of falling’ amid other serious concerns.
The level of risk was also judged ‘high’ when it came to the way in which medicines were managed at the unit.
Inspectors found that one medication prescription administration record (MPAR) had not been signed by a doctor; and nurses had administered ten medications in an MPAR for 25 days without a valid signature by a doctor.
It was also found that not all nurses had checked expiration dates before giving medicine and that good hand-hygiene was ‘not implemented by all nursing staff when they were administering medication’ to patients.
Inspectors also noted that not all staff working at the mental health facility had actually received the levels of training required for the roles they performed, with just one out of 16 nurse training records that they inspected showing up-to-date training in the area of fire safety.