Inspectors happy after visit to St Camillus Nursing Centre

An inspection of the St Camillus Nursing Centre in Killucan carried out in July of this year found that although building works were under way at the centre, compliance standards in infection prevention and control were being met.

The inspection was carried out by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), who sent two inspectors to make an unannounced inspection at the centre because the building works were being undertaken to improve and upgrade the centre.

The inspectors said they did a walk-around to observe the environment, meet residents and staff, and gain an understanding of residents’ lived experience during the construction phases in the centre.

They noted that while the centre is registered for a maximum occupancy of 57 residents, it had just 50 on the day of inspection, since the provider had made the decision not to admit any new residents while the construction works were ongoing.

“During the walk-around, the inspectors observed that a number of residents were still in bed, either sleeping or enjoying a relaxed start to their morning. Staff were seen providing assistance with personal care and supporting residents with their individual morning routines. Interactions between staff and residents were observed to be respectful, responsive and unhurried,” the inspectors wrote.

WELCOMING

Describing the location as being at the end of a tree-lined avenue and surrounded by landscaped grounds, the inspectors found the centre to be “warm, comfortable and welcoming, with a calm atmosphere throughout”, and noted too that the centre’s religious ethos was evident throughout the inspection and was described by residents as an important aspect of daily life within the service.

“Residents who spoke with the inspectors expressed a high level of satisfaction with the care and support they received during the building works, and their feedback was consistently positive regarding life in the centre,” stated the report.

The inspectors commented that the management demonstrated effective oversight of the building works in the centre, responding promptly and effectively to minimise the risk to residents, staff and visitors.

“High standards of infection prevention and control were also evident, with effective systems in place to monitor and sustain practice,” they wrote.

They went on to describe how they found there were clear lines of accountability and responsibility in relation to the governance and management of the building works being undertaken within the centre - “The person in charge maintained oversight of the project and ensured that residents’ safety, wellbeing and quality of life were prioritised throughout the works.

Effective communication processes were in place between the centre’s management team, contractors and relevant stakeholders to ensure that risks associated with the refurbishment project were identified, monitored and managed.”

The inspectors also found that sufficient staffing resources were available to ensure that residents’ care needs continued to be met throughout the project and that additional housekeeping resources were allocated, where required, to support enhanced environmental cleaning and to maintain a clean, safe and comfortable environment for residents during the construction works.

“Overall, the inspectors was assured that appropriate measures were in place to protect and promote the health, safety and wellbeing of residents during the building works in the centre,” said the inspectors, noting that the registered provider had ensured that the premises were appropriate to the number and needs of residents and were maintained in good condition, and that “effective measures were in place to minimise the impact on residents” during the building works.