Health watchdog finds Longford care centre failed to safeguard residents from risk of abuse

A Longford care centre was found to be non-compliant with expected standards in nine different areas according to a HIQA report and the provider failed to safeguard residents from the risk of abuse and to ensure all safeguarding risks were identified and managed.

Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) officials carried out an unannounced inspection of St Joseph's Care Centre on Thursday, July 3 2025.

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The centre, which provides care to a range of needs of various complexity, including dementia care and cognitive impairment, acquired brain injury, palliative and palliative respite care, was deemed to be non compliant in nine out of 11 regulatory areas.

The health watchdog found these areas were staffing, training and staff development, governance and management, notification of incidents, individual assessment and care plan, protection, residents' rights, managing behaviour that is challenging and health care.

St Joseph's Care Centre was found to be compliant in just two regulatory areas which included communication difficulties and visits.

On the day of the inspection there were 54 male and female residents at the 24 hour centre of all dependency levels with most over the age of 65.

On arrival, two inspectors were met by night staff when most of the residents were still sleeping and they observed residents' experiences of living in the designated centre and they spent time talking to 10 of them in four units and they spoke to staff, observed care practices and engaged with five residents' family members.

Residents' feedback on this inspection was mostly positive regarding their care, their quality of life in the centre and they said that 'the staff were very good' and they were well cared and some said their food was 'absolutely lovely and plentiful'.

However, two residents expressed concerns to the inspectors that their safeguarding needs were not met regarding an interaction with a staff member and where a resident was entering another resident's bedroom uninvited during the night.

Overall, inspectors found that staff did not consistently provide appropriate support and care for those residents who may display responsive behaviours namely how residents who are living with dementia or other conditions may communicate or express their physical discomfort, or discomfort with their social or physical environment.

The inspectors said as residents' behaviours were not consistently responded to and appropriately deescalated and managed by staff, these behaviours posed significant safeguarding risks to other residents.

In relation to staffing the "provider did not ensure the number and that staff skills were appropriate in relation to the needs of the residents and this was a factor in staff not consistently providing appropriate care for residents displaying responsive behaviours.

The inspectors also said that an inadequate number of staff with appropriate skills were available to support the increased needs of residents with complex responsive behaviours and those who remained in these bedrooms.

There was also a failure to ensure continuity of the social activity programme for residents in one unit and they had 'little to do'.

The provider was asked to outline how they were going to come into compliance with Regulation 8: Protection and the management team said they had instructed all staff to 're-complete the HSE National Policy and Procedures on Safeguarding Vulnerable Person’s at Risk of Abuse online course in the immediate aftermath and safeguarding training has been provided to all staff on site in the centre by a senior social worker on the Adult Safeguarding Team.

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The provider said in relation to staffing the deployment of staff allocation and rosters has been reviewed and planned rosters are now confirmed two weeks in advance.

The provider said a maximum of eight residents accommodated in their Our Lady’s Unit.

"The management team continue to monitor the usage of agency staff and there has been an ongoing reduction in agency usage since January 2025 to date with the appointment of permanent HSE staff, they added.