Report raises concerns over Cherry Orchard
By Maurice Garvey
A WATCHDOG report has found that Cherry Orchard Hospital could provide no written evidence that residents or their families had been consulted before it decided not to medically resuscitate three residents.
The Health Information and Quality Authority’s report of the HSE-run facility for 27 people with disabilities also found that no action had been taken to address several incidents where financial abuse of residents could have occurred.
Cherry Orchard Hospital not in full compliance
The unannounced HIQA inspection took place last January, over two days.
Initial inspections of the centre in 2015 and 2016 found it was not in sufficient compliance with regulations.
A further inspection took place in November 2017, finding significant breaches and in December, HIQA threatened to close the facility because of persistent failures to maintain standards.
The HSE promised to bring it in line with regulations but a January inspection found that 86 per cent of the breaches discovered in November were “repeatedly found”.
According to the published HIQA report on July 3, inspectors examined three residents’ files, which identified each resident was not for resuscitation.
They found no documentary evidence was available in relation to discussions with family members, apart from the fact that a discussion had taken place.
No evidence
No evidence was found that the residents were involved in this “significant decision-making process” despite inspectors finding them able to participate in such a discussion.
Inspectors also found that no action had been taken following an inspection two months earlier where sums of residents’ money were unaccounted for.
They were told a new system had been put in place days earlier to record residents’ finances, but when evidence of this was requested, the recording book was blank.
In a statement, HIQA said that eight per cent of the remedial measures are still outstanding, with a completion date of the end of next month for Cherry Orchard Hospital to reach 100 per cent compliance.
