Latest news with #RTÉInvestigates–InsideIreland
Irish Independent
4 days ago
- Health
- Irish Independent
HIQA stopped admissions to Laois nursing home featured in ‘RTÉ Investigates' programme amid concerns
RTÉ News reports that HIQA confirmed that "through its inspections" of both nursing homes it had "identified a number of significant concerns". The findings of the RTÉ investigation into two nursing homes run by Ireland's largest provider was likened to 'institutional abuse'. HIQA had stopped admissions to one of the nursing homes prior to the programme being aired last night. The 'deeply distressing' footage in RTÉ Investigates – Inside Ireland's Nursing Homes, which aired last night, details a litany of failings in two homes run by Emeis Ireland, formerly Orpea. The French-owned company has 27 privately-run facilities here, providing more than 2,400 beds. It has a global revenue of more than €5.6bn. After concerns were raised by several whistleblowers, RTÉ sent two undercover researchers to apply for healthcare assistant roles. They obtained footage from The Residence Portlaoise and Beneavin Manor in Glasnevin, Dublin. Among the breaches detailed were inadequate staffing levels, which at times left one employee looking after 23 residents, and people being refused help to go to the toilet. One resident was left on the toilet for an extended period of time with a broken call bell, after the worker went off on her break. When she was eventually tended to, the nurse was seen cleaning her hands afterwards on the resident's skirt. In another incident, an elderly man in a wheelchair pleaded to go to the toilet, only to have his request refused. He was not taken to the bathroom until 25 minutes after his first request. Reacting to the footage, consultant geriatrician David Robinson said it was 'neglect… in a setting that is supposed to be caring'. ADVERTISEMENT Staff in the Portlaoise facility were secretly filmed discussing how they had run out of incontinence pads and would not get any for another 10 days. They were told they would instead have to use 'sticky pads and underwear'. In one scene captured on camera, a nurse says 'using incorrect incontinence wear is a form of abuse' and they are 'actually causing bed sores'. This morning, HIQA confirmed that admissions to The Residence Portlaoise had been stopped "as part of its escalatory action". A spokesperson said; "further inspection reports on both of these centres are currently being finalised and will be published shortly". "We are very concerned about the practices described in the programme and we have engaged directly with those responsible for the operation of the nursing homes," the statement continued. "Accordingly, we will be taking the necessary actions with the provider to ensure safe and effective care and support to all residents". Incidents In one incident at Beneavin Manor, Glasnevin, which houses many people living with dementia, one vulnerable resident was seen being left in her wheelchair for up to six hours. When she was eventually moved, the obligatory hoist was not used. The care worker insisted that she and the undercover reporter pull the frail woman up by her clothing because 'they are not glass'. When another man requested to use the toilet, he was told to use his incontinent pad instead. The same man was later found sitting in the dayroom in urine-soaked clothing. That night, he called repeatedly for someone to help him go to the toilet, but he was again told to use his pad. The next day, he was found lying on a soaking wet bed without any sheets. Later that night, there were no bed sheets left and staff instead used incontinence pads as a makeshift covering. Professor Rónán Collins, a consultant geriatrician, said the care of this man was 'really quite distressing'. 'I can't say any more about how much it goes against the grain of every kind of gerontological principle I would hold dear,' he said. Emeis Ireland said it was 'unacceptable' for residents to have to wait for care or be dismissed when requesting assistance. It also apologised to residents and their families for the distress caused by the failings identified. 'Emeis Ireland apologises unequivocally to all residents and their families for the suffering and distress experienced as a result of failures identified in the care provided. We recognise and deeply regret the breach of trust that has occurred in relation to the service standards we promise, and for any failure to uphold the dignity of some residents at all times. These lapses fall short of the values and standards we set for ourselves as an organisation. "Emeis acknowledges the serious issues raised in relation to The Residence Portlaoise and Beneavin Manor. The findings are deeply distressing, wholly unjustifiable, and entirely unacceptable. We express our deep concern, as the wellbeing, dignity, and safety of residents in our care will always remain our foremost priority. 'We have commenced a comprehensive review across both nursing homes. We will not tolerate any individual or systemic neglect.' This article was edited at 9.55am on June 5 to clarify that HIQA stopped admissions to the nursing homE prior to the programme being aired last night.
Irish Independent
4 days ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
HIQA stops admissions to Laois nursing home featured in ‘RTÉ Investigates' programme amid concerns
RTÉ News reports that HIQA confirmed that "through its inspections" of both nursing homes it had "identified a number of significant concerns". The findings of the RTÉ investigation into two nursing homes run by Ireland's largest provider was likened to 'institutional abuse'. The 'deeply distressing' footage in RTÉ Investigates – Inside Ireland's Nursing Homes, which aired last night, details a litany of failings in two homes run by Emeis Ireland, formerly Orpea. The French-owned company has 27 privately-run facilities here, providing more than 2,400 beds. It has a global revenue of more than €5.6bn. After concerns were raised by several whistleblowers, RTÉ sent two undercover researchers to apply for healthcare assistant roles. They obtained footage from The Residence Portlaoise and Beneavin Manor in Glasnevin, Dublin. Among the breaches detailed were inadequate staffing levels, which at times left one employee looking after 23 residents, and people being refused help to go to the toilet. One resident was left on the toilet for an extended period of time with a broken call bell, after the worker went off on her break. When she was eventually tended to, the nurse was seen cleaning her hands afterwards on the resident's skirt. In another incident, an elderly man in a wheelchair pleaded to go to the toilet, only to have his request refused. He was not taken to the bathroom until 25 minutes after his first request. Reacting to the footage, consultant geriatrician David Robinson said it was 'neglect… in a setting that is supposed to be caring'. Staff in the Portlaoise facility were secretly filmed discussing how they had run out of incontinence pads and would not get any for another 10 days. They were told they would instead have to use 'sticky pads and underwear'. In one scene captured on camera, a nurse says 'using incorrect incontinence wear is a form of abuse' and they are 'actually causing bed sores'. This morning, HIQA confirmed that admissions to The Residence Portlaoise had been stopped "as part of its escalatory action". A spokesperson said; "further inspection reports on both of these centres are currently being finalised and will be published shortly". "We are very concerned about the practices described in the programme and we have engaged directly with those responsible for the operation of the nursing homes," the statement continued. "Accordingly, we will be taking the necessary actions with the provider to ensure safe and effective care and support to all residents". Incidents In one incident at Beneavin Manor, Glasnevin, which houses many people living with dementia, one vulnerable resident was seen being left in her wheelchair for up to six hours. When she was eventually moved, the obligatory hoist was not used. The care worker insisted that she and the undercover reporter pull the frail woman up by her clothing because 'they are not glass'. When another man requested to use the toilet, he was told to use his incontinent pad instead. The same man was later found sitting in the dayroom in urine-soaked clothing. That night, he called repeatedly for someone to help him go to the toilet, but he was again told to use his pad. The next day, he was found lying on a soaking wet bed without any sheets. Later that night, there were no bed sheets left and staff instead used incontinence pads as a makeshift covering. Professor Rónán Collins, a consultant geriatrician, said the care of this man was 'really quite distressing'. 'I can't say any more about how much it goes against the grain of every kind of gerontological principle I would hold dear,' he said. Emeis Ireland said it was 'unacceptable' for residents to have to wait for care or be dismissed when requesting assistance. It also apologised to residents and their families for the distress caused by the failings identified. 'Emeis Ireland apologises unequivocally to all residents and their families for the suffering and distress experienced as a result of failures identified in the care provided. We recognise and deeply regret the breach of trust that has occurred in relation to the service standards we promise, and for any failure to uphold the dignity of some residents at all times. These lapses fall short of the values and standards we set for ourselves as an organisation. "Emeis acknowledges the serious issues raised in relation to The Residence Portlaoise and Beneavin Manor. The findings are deeply distressing, wholly unjustifiable, and entirely unacceptable. We express our deep concern, as the wellbeing, dignity, and safety of residents in our care will always remain our foremost priority. 'We have commenced a comprehensive review across both nursing homes. We will not tolerate any individual or systemic neglect.'
Extra.ie
5 days ago
- Health
- Extra.ie
Nursing home staff member: ‘I wouldn't put my mother here, even if it's my last breath'
A healthcare assistant working for the country's biggest nursing home operator told an undercover reporter she 'wouldn't put my mother here, even if it's my last breath', according to a new RTÉ documentary. The staff member at a home owned by company Emeis, which runs 24 care homes here, was recorded by RTÉ Investigates saying she feels bad for the patients as 'they don't go out, all the activities are s***'. Tonight's RTÉ Investigates – Inside Ireland's Nursing Homes uncovered staff shortages, improper patient care and experts warning of 'corners being cut' at homes in Portlaoise and Dublin, where secret filming took place. Nursing home. Pic: Getty Images Undercover footage from the Beneavin campus in Glasnevin, Co Dublin, which costs an average of €1,400 a week, uncovered the treatment of an elderly man who was repeatedly left to lie in his own urine. In one instance, a hidden camera in the man's room recorded a staff member telling the man at nighttime that he should simply use his incontinence pad and wait to be changed later because they were too short-staffed to help him to the toilet. The heartbreaking footage shows him being left alone in the dark, calling out for help. The documentary heard from a panel of experts, with one remarking of the footage: 'That's quite distressing to watch, to think that that might be a loved one in one of our families.' Nursing home. Pic: Getty Images Another incident with the same man saw him left in the busy dayroom for so long after soiling himself that his incontinence pad had soaked through to his clothes. On a different day, the man's wet bedsheets were being changed by staff members who then realised there were no clean ones left and began sticking incontinence pads together into a makeshift sheet, with one joking: 'It's better than nothing.' One staff member even told RTÉ's undercover reporter she 'wouldn't put my mother here, even if it's my last breath', and 'the system is f****d'. She said the nurse was too idealistic for trying to spend so much time with each patient. Nursing home. Pic: Getty Images 'It doesn't work like that. I was like you when I was younger, but then you see how the system is f****d.' Emeis runs over 1,000 facilities in 20 countries and collected a revenue of € 5 billion last year, according to RTÉ. One of the company's training managers from the head office was recorded telling staff at the Glasnevin home: 'God forbid if I was somebody that ended up in a nursing home. I hope not because we know what's coming. No matter how good the staff are, I want to be in control of my life.' A HIQA report from February at the Portlaoise home found the residents 'sometimes experienced extended waiting times' for assistance because there weren't enough staff. When the documentary was being made months later, the issue still wasn't addressed, with the undercover assistant finding an old woman calling out for help after being left alone on the toilet. Emeis Ireland told RTÉ it 'acknowledges and sincerely apologises to residents and their families for the distress caused by the failings identified'.
Extra.ie
7 days ago
- Health
- Extra.ie
RTE exposes 'appalling' elderly abuse in two nursing homes
Elderly patients are being treated in a 'disrespectful and undignified way on a continual basis' in nursing homes, an RTÉ investigation will claim. The appalling way certain staff have treated elderly patients at two Irish nursing homes will be exposed as part of the station's second investigation into poor standards at homes. The RTÉ Investigates documentary will be screened on Wednesday night, with disturbing undercover footage revealing poor standards and focusing on homes in the Midlands and Dublin. The harrowing programme will show systematic failings and undue pressure being applied on staff to care for numerous residents and patients. An RTÉ spokesman said: 'A number of whistleblowers approached the team with horrific stories of elderly patients being treated in a disrespectful and undignified way on a continual basis. Elderly patients are being treated in a 'disrespectful and undignified way on a continual basis' in nursing homes, an RTÉ investigation will claim. Pic: Getty Images 'RTÉ assigned two researchers who went undercover to investigate in two different centres that are part of a nursing home chain. 'The scenes that will be featured are very upsetting and the issues are distressing. 'We're talking about poor care and appalling neglect. It's a tough watch and a powerful watch.' The exposé is the second such investigation by RTÉ. In 2005, RTÉ revealed the horrific work practices and the treatment of elderly patients at Leas Cross nursing home near Swords, in north Co. Dublin, which led to a major State-backed Commission of Investigation. The report into Leas Cross found there was systematic abuse at the nursing home. The HSE then launched a 'new inspection regime' which it said was 'consistent, robust and vastly improved'. Tomorrow's programme will look at standards being applied by the HSE in the running of the two homes featured, it is understood. Tomorrow's programme will look at standards being applied by the HSE in the running of the two homes featured, it is understood. Pic: Shutterstock The programme-makers liaised with independent experts, and the findings have been reported by RTÉ researchers to HIQA and the local nursing home management, where applicable and in line with expert advice. The findings of the investigation have been shared with the private nursing home group and RTÉ has offered it the right of reply. Professor Rónán Collins, a consultant geriatrician who features in the programme, said: 'The whole episode of care in relation to this man is really quite distressing. I can't say any more how much it goes against every gerontological principle that I hold dear.' Professor David Robinson said the programme showed 'systemic and institutional lack of consideration for the older person. 'This is going to shorten people's lives and their lives will be more miserable,' he added. RTÉ Investigates – Inside Ireland's Nursing Homes airs on Wednesday at 9.35pm on RTÉ One and the RTÉ Player.
