Saint John of Gods at Drumcar under spotlight again
THE St. John of God centre at Drumcar came under the spotlight again this week as claims emerged over ‘inappropriate use’ of resident’s money for furniture, medical aids and medical appointments.
The health services watchdog HIQA confirmed it carried out an unannounced inspection in July following complaints about unauthorised use of monies for services and goods which should have been provided to residents.
The inspection was carried out at the Greenmount centre on the Drumcar campus, which was home to 22 residents with intellectual and physical disabilities at the time that HIQA began investigating the complaints.
A report published last week by HIQA said the concerns were substantiated and that the practices had taken place over a prolonged period of time.
It underlined ‘an absence of consent or consultation for the charges’ and said concerns remained with regard to the safeguarding of residents’ finances.
Inspectors found that between 2012 and 2016 a number of residents were charged €2,300 each for the cost of specialised armchairs.
Another resident was charged €2,500 for an armchair and a dexa - or bone density - scan.
Another, who was assessed as need- ing a body brace, was charged €552 for the appliance.
The inspectors were told an investigation into the matter was under way but they say the person conducting the review had been on the staff of the St John of God Services
In a statement Saint John of God Community Services said it ‘fully accepts’ HIQA’s findings.
‘In August 2015, eleven months prior to the HIQA inspection, Saint John of God North East Services commenced an independent review of residents’ finances backdated to 2013. Where it was identified that residents had purchased their own item of medical/specialised equipment/aids for their personal use, the Service had either reimbursed residents or was in the process of doing so, at the time of the unannounced monitoring inspection in July of this year.
HIQA Inspectors acknowledge this review and noted evidence of residents being reimbursed when they conducted the inspection in July.’
‘Saint John of God North East Services emphasises that the practice of purchasing personalised medical/ specialised equipment and aids using the residents’ funds ceased in 2015. Following a review the Services is confident that robust financial governance is now in place, relating to the safeguarding of residents’ finances.’
The statement continued: ‘During the period that the purchases took place, the residents were not approved for a medical card, under the national General Medical Card Scheme, despite the significant efforts made by the Saint John of God North East Services to advocate for the granting of medical cards to all residents.’
‘In the absence of residents being approved for medical cards, the Service was unable to make an application through the Aids and Appliance Section of the HSE, which is the standard process by which residents living in a residential campus-based service apply for medical/specialised equipment. The Service confirms that medical cards were approved for the residents living within Greenmount Designated Centre in 2016.’
‘Staff of this Designated Centre together with members of the management team, and in collaboration with residents families and advocates, are committed to the provision and development of quality person-centred residential services and continue to bring about improvements in the quality of life of the residents living in this Designated Centre.’
‘Saint John of God Community Services remains fully committed to working collaboratively with the HSE, to develop community residential services in the Louth region.
Louth TD Gerry Adams said; ‘ This is another damning report for St John of Gods Services, and the latest in a catalogue of inappropriate practices which have been uncovered.
St John of God has serious questions to answer regarding the decisions taken to charge residents for essential equipment.
‘ The fact that St John of God’s cannot provide assurances that resi- dents’ personal monies were not used inappropriately prior to 2012 is also a major cause for concern.
The Louth TD said that serious questions still remain about the monies taken from residents, adding:
‘HIQA has outlined that although reimbursement is underway, it is not complete.’