A Health Information and Quality Authority inspection has found a residential service in Co Donegal for people with disabilities non-compliant on a number of inspection themes.

The Railway View & Finnside centre, which is run by the Health Service Executive, was criticised over its fire alarm system and fall prevention measures.

HIQA noted some improvements in the facility, which is home to 11 residents, following previous inspections, but said the HSE did not ensure that an adequate fire alarm system was in place.

It said adequate fall prevention measures were not maintained and three residents suffered falls, one of them sustaining a serious injury. 

HIQA also found individual safeguarding needs of some residents were not being met and there were issues with regular peer-to-peer altercations.

The authority also found the HSE management systems in the facility continue to be inadequate and there were staff shortages.

The report was one of 27 published by HIQA today.

In relation to the Rosses View facility in Sligo, which is home to 35 residents and also managed by the HSE, HIQA found that nine actions it identified at a previous inspection had not been addressed while further failings were identified.  

The authority said fire safety is a significant concern, the provision of day services and social opportunities for residents had declined, as had staffing provisions.

It found there were failures of governance and management of the centre and required staff records were incomplete.  

HIQA said in the case of 19 staff members, they did not have the required garda vetting documentation completed.

Report on Sligo facility also published

The HSE-run Upperwoodlands Close on the outskirts of Sligo town was also inspected by HIQA last October.

The inspectors noted obstruction of fire-escape routes and poor access for staff to keys for fire doors in the event of fire.

Problems were also identified with emergency evacuation plans for residents.

They also noted some governance and management problems and said cleanliness of the centre was not of a high standard as cleaning services had been suspended at the time.

This was the fourth inspection of the facility, in which 30 people reside, and some actions recommended by HIQA during previous visits had not been implemented.

A report on Our Lady’s Centre in Kilkenny was also published today.

This facility was taken over by the HSE in October 2015 and was inspected over two days in August and September 2016.

Inspectors found there had been a series of improvements since their last inspection but said the premises for the 19 residents was inadequate.

They found residents rights and dignity was not being promoted by staff, and some residents had limited opportunities to participate in activities of interest to them.