Report: COVID-Positive Resident Left In Room With 16 Others At Craddock House Nursing Home In Naas

There were also major infection control breaches, including expired cleaning products, unclean urinals, and poor segregation of soiled linen.

An unannounced HIQA inspection has found serious failings at Craddock House Nursing Home in Naas, raising concerns for residents’ safety during a recent COVID-19 outbreak.

Inspectors reported that staffing levels were inadequate, with residents waiting up to 15 minutes for call-bells to be answered. 

In one case, a single staff member was left supervising 17 residents alone.

85 residents were recorded on the premises during the inspection.

Two call-bells were found not working, leaving some residents unable to summon help. 

"There were no checks completed on functionality of the call-bells. On the day of inspection two call-bells were identified as not working by inspectors. This had been escalated to maintenance by staff and there was a delay in responding and a lack of clarity as to who was responsible for checking this. Inspectors were assured that the residents were provided with alternative temporary call-bells by the end of the inspection," according to the report. 

There were also major infection control breaches, including expired cleaning products, unclean urinals, and poor segregation of soiled linen. 

Inspectors found serious lapses in infection control during a COVID-19 outbreak.

Staff were observed not wearing masks correctly, and found one COVID-positive resident being cared for in a dayroom with 16 others, until they ordered immediate isolation.

Transmission-based precautions were not in place: clinical waste bins were missing from isolation rooms, three staff were seen not wearing protective equipment correctly, and one activities worker had been rostered across two units on consecutive days, risking further spread of infection, according to the report.

"Residents reported they were often waiting for their call-bells to be answered, and inspectors also observed delays on the day of inspection. No additional staff had been considered for isolating and effectively managing an outbreak of COVID-19," the report noted.

It further stated: "Outbreak communication was weak. For example, staff were informed that mask-wearing was not mandatory in the areas of the centre that had an outbreak. This was not in line with best practice and posed a health and safety risk to residents and staff."

HIQA concluded that governance and oversight at the centre were not robust, and ordered urgent improvements in staffing, training and outbreak management.

The inspection was carried out in June. 

On staff training, the report noted that although training was completed in infection control practices, staff were observed not implementing the principles of training in practice, and there was "ineffective supervision of staff practices as outlined further under Infection control".

The report said residents "had good access to GP services" and there was evidence of "regular medical review of residents when required". 

Residents also had access to community mental health based services and health and social care professionals such as speech and language therapists and dietitians as required.