Cottage Hospital HIQA concerns
The Cottage Hospital in Drogheda has failed to meet HIQA standards in nine of 11 categories examined in a HIQA follow up inspection, it has been revealed.
The initial inspection of the hospital on Scarlet Street took place on January 18th which resulted in nineteen required actions relating to everything from risk and medication management, staffing and premises to maintenance of documentation and safeguarding. The follow up inspection, which was unannounced, took place on May 5th to assess the progress in relation to matters arising from the previous inspection.
The inspectors found that progress had been made ‘in some areas’ but noted that further improvements were required in ‘most of the outcomes followed up on’. The inspectors noted in the report that staff training and supervision had not been sufficiently addressed at the time of the inspection.
Further improvement was also needed in the governance and management of pre-admission assessments to determine suitability of residents, implementation of policies and specifications regarding the terms of contracts and completed agreements, and in relation to the maintenance and repair of the premises, they said. The hospital is now a step down facility providing transitional care to older people following an acute illness and hospital treatment.
However, an audit of length of stay of patients found that 38% staying longer than 30 days and 7.25% stayed over 60 days.
The inspectors confirmed that the length of stay for two of the existing 14 residents at the time of the follow up inspection had exceeded the 30 day timeframe.
They also found that the criteria for admission and the exclusion criteria outlined in the statement of purpose had not been demonstrated or adhered too.
They said there was no evidence of a pre-admission assessment by a nurse from the centre and in addition, residents with a diagnosis of dementia and alzheimers disease had been admitted to the service for short stay care despite the diagnosis of dementia being stated as a criterion for exclusion.