RESIDENTS AT A nursing home in Swords weren’t able to shower as often as they wanted due to staff shortages and complained of long waiting periods for necessary care, according to an inspection report by watchdog HIQA.

The residents at Tara Winthrop Private Clinic in Swords, Co Dublin told inspectors they would like to be able to shower more frequently than every 2-3 days but felt that staff did not always have time to help them some mornings.

In a statement this afternoon, the nursing home said it had hired additional staff and made progress that would be reflected in future inspection reports.

The unannounced HIQA inspection took place in March.

Inspectors found that access to showers “was not informed by personal choice but by staffing routines and numbers”, and that this was causing frustration among residents.

The records of one resident whose care plan stated they ”like a shower every 3-4 days” had two recorded showers in the month of February.

The centre had also received complaints about residents only being showered once a week or residents not being washed properly due to inadequate staffing, according to the HIQA report.

Furthermore, residents told inspectors that “not much had changed” since the last inspection where previous concerns with the care provided were raised. The report states that the centre has repeatedly failed to comply with staffing regulations.

At the time of the inspection, there were 120 residents living at the centre, with the inspectors concluding that there were not enough staff with the required skill-mix to meet the assessed needs of residents.

While residents were complimentary of individual staff members, they complained that there were sometimes long waiting periods for necessary care due to the ongoing staff shortages. 

One resident told inspectors they had been left ”sitting in wet continence wear for two hours” as staff had more urgent people to see to.

Inspectors also found that residents who had been admitted for respite care following limb fractures were not having their fractured limb checked for colour, warmth and sensation on a routine basis.

Staff at the centre also had poor knowledge of fire safety according to inspectors and infection control standards were not always followed.

The lack of staff at the centre also contributed to “an undue reliance on television and background music in lieu of interesting and meaningful activities for residents”.

Residents told inspectors that the “days are repetitive” and they spend “a lot of time watching TV” and that there “isn’t much to do”. They also expressed a wish for “outdoor trips and activities such as afternoon tea and cupcakes with their loved ones”.

In total, the centre was found to be non-compliant with 10 out of 11 regulations inspected. As part of the inspection process, the provider was required to submit a compliance plan to HIQA outlining the steps taken to improve standards and bring the centre back into compliance.

In a statement provided to The Journal, the provider said “our care home like many in the industry is still recovering from the long-term impacts of Covid-19.”

“Since this inspection”, it continued, “we have already seen significant progress made following investment and diligent work, which we believe will be reflected in future inspections and reporting”, adding that it was “committed to the long-term security, welfare, and comfort of our residents”.

The provider added that additional staff had been hired, with further investment planned over the next few years. It said it was continuing to focus on achieving full compliance with the regulations and providing a safe home for residents.