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CEO SAYS ACTION PLANS HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED

HIQA reports published in recent days regarding The Beeches residential units in Arklow and Ardbrae centre in Bray found Sunbeam House Services to be majorly non-compliant in a number of categories.

Five major non-compliances and one moderate were recorded in relation to The Beeches while three major non compliances and three moderate were recorded for Ardbrae.

However, Hugh Kane, CEO of Sunbeam House Services, has said that actions plans have been put in place and implemented since the visits last year which led to the reports.

Sunbeam House Services were aware of the inspections, which were announced beforehand and took place in October 2017 and December 2017.

In relation to The Beeches, non-compliances were found under the categories of Admissions and Contract for the Provision of Services, Safe and Suitable Premises, Health and Safety Risk Management, Safeguarding and Safety and Governance and Management while the service was moder- ately non-compliant regarding Records and Documentation.

Major non-compliances at Ardbrae were found in Admissions and Contract for the Provision of Services, Health, Safety and Risk Management and Governance and Management while The Statement of Purpose, Notification of Incidents and Workforce categories were assessed as moderately non-compliant.

While in many cases, Sunbeam House Services (SHS) has already made the required changes or proposed a timescale within which they will be addressed, the Family Advocacy Group has said that they believe ‘change is not happening quickly enough following the Jeyes Report’ (2017).

One of the concerns raised by HIQA regarding Ardbrae was that in certain cases, where risks were identified as per the SHS policy on risk management.

The report outlined that a risk regarding water temperature – which, on occasion, became too hot for showering and bathing purposes – was escalated to management but had not been addressed at the time of inspection. However, according to the report, temperature control thermostats have now been fitted to all sink taps and showers at the centre to avoid the risk of scalds.

At the same centre, HIQA found failures in the management of risk and staffing ar- rangements which had been raised by a person in charge and flagged to senior management but was not addressed.

The report also noted that staffing levels were not reviewed appropriately to take into account a new admission to the centre six months previously.

The SHS action plan, published with the report, stated that it is now compliant with regulatory requirements and intends to conduct an annual review of quality and safety and a six-monthly report of safety and quality of support of this centre.

At The Beeches in Arklow, HIQA found that no safeguarding plan was in place for a resident who was being targeted with verbal abuse by one of their peers. However, the report noted that staff were managing the situation and endeavoured to ensure the safety and welfare of both residents.

HIQA required SHS to ensure that every effort is made to identify and alleviate the cause of a resident’s behaviour and that all alternative measures are considered before a restrictive procedure is used.

SHS outlined that it intends to implement safeguarding clinics and to review action plans.

The service also indicated that it would be putting safeguarding passports in place for all residents so that they and their families are informed about safeguarding.

Under the same category of Safe Services, HIQA found that adequate support and interventions were not made available to a resident who was presenting with behaviours of concern. According to SHS, the resident has since been referred to a speech and language therapist and their positive behaviour support plan is now up to date.

CEO of Sunbeam House Services, Hugh Kane said that these reports are ‘historic’ given that the inspections happened towards the end of last year and that actions plans have been put in place and implemented since then.

‘Regarding The Beeches, there was an issue raised regarding the management and leadership at the centre but we have put an overall management plan in place, which the HSE has accepted. Regarding the environmental issues, where certain works need to be carried out, the funding is in place and this was delayed by the weather – but it is imminent,’ he said.

Mr Kane also welcomed news in relation to two further centres – Vevay Close (to be renamed as Orchid Lane) in Bray and Tús Nua in Greystones.

‘We were notified by the HSE that they are to withdraw the notice to cancel registration of these centres and that they will remain under the management of Sunbeam House Services. They said that there is evidence that progress has been made. We also soon hope to have the same new in relation to Rosanna Gardens in Ashford,’ he said.