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A KERRY NURSING home was told its system for managing residents’ cash was not secure, according to an inspection carried out earlier this year
A report from the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) made two findings of major non-compliance in relation to the Lystoll Lodge in Skehenerin, Listowel.
Over the course of an unannounced visit in April, the inspector looked at systems that are in place to safeguard residents’ money. The system is monitored by the provider – Lystoll Lodge Nursing Home – the person in charge and administration staff.
As part of the system, two members of staff have to sign for any money lodged or withdrawn and a sample of records checked were seen to be in order. However the inspection found receipts were not given for all cash received from relatives of its 48 residents.
When cash payments were received the name of the person who paid was recorded in the daily diary. The amount received was not recorded. This was acknowledged in the invoice sent out to relatives.
The inspector formed the view that the system in place for receiving cash payments was “not comprehensive or secure”.
According to the report, a sample of staff files revealed garda vetting was not in place for all workers on duty. In addition to this, gaps and inconsistencies in employment history had not been adequately checked and the required number of references were not available in staff files.
The report said the person in charge undertook to remove staff who did not have the required vetting clearance from the roster until garda vetting had been received. She also provided assurance that all other staff on duty had been vetted and that no staff member would be employed in the future without garda vetting being in place prior to employment.
The inspector found that in addition to similar findings during the previous inspection, a large number of staff had not received the annual, mandatory fire training. They also found that not all staff had been given appropriate training in accordance with their role, for example, infection control training, medication management training and manual handling training.
In response to the inspection, the home said it would conduct fire training every six months and committed to having staff trained in areas like medication management and manual handling by the end of July.
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