The Aras Attracta care home in Co. Mayo. (Picture: RTE.ie)
THE HSE-run Aras Attracta care home in Swinford, Co. Mayo may be facing closure.
A new report has revealed ‘consistent failures’ in care since an RTE Prime Time programme exposed abuses within the home in 2014.
A new report from the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), based on 14 inspections from July 2015 to May 2017, has found countless issues with the institutional model and the conduct of care at the intellectually disabled adult's center.
The report indicates that the residents are at ‘continued risk of harm’ and highlights safeguarding issues and a lack of opportunities for residents’ personal development and growth.
The large campus of bungalows was the subject of an RTE Prime Time television expose showing mistreatment of residents three years ago, which resulted in a number of staff being convicted of assault.
The inspectors' report said: "Over the course of inspections referred to in this report, inspectors found evidence of the provider’s failure to ensure that the systems and processes developed to safeguard residents from harm and abuse were being effectively implemented and overseen.
"In particular, the provider had failed to respond to a significant number of occurrences and reports of alleged abuse between residents. In some cases, inspectors found that the provider was not ensuring that safeguarding concerns were being responded to in line with their own policies and procedures."
Earlier this year an inquest into the death of resident Francis Loughney found the 72-year old was malnourished and severely dehydrated prior to his death.
Loughney had lived at the home since 1999.
In September HIQA notified the HSE that it was proposing to cancel the registration of the three centers on the Aras Attracta campus. This would result in the centers being shut down.
When the HSE submitted it’s initial action plan in October 2015, there were 89 residents living in Aras Attracta. The plan set out a goal to transition 27 residents to more appropriate, community-based accommodation by the end of 2016, with a further 26 due to transition by the end of 2017.
At the time of the most recent inspection, 86 residents were still living on the campus.
The report also highlighted that the number of staff available in the centers was insufficient to meet residents’ needs, which resulted in some residents being unable to participate in community activities of their choice, or at the time they had planned to participate in these.
Hiqa’s chief inspector will carry out an unannounced inspection to ensure that the changes have been made and a final decision on the registration of the centers will be made by February 2018.
