HIQA halts admissions to Portlaoise nursing home
Admissions to the Portlaoise nursing home have been halted by HIQA
HEALTH watchdog HIQA has halted admissions to a Laois nursing home, which featured in a shocking programme that exposed appalling treatment of elderly people.
Admissions to The Residence in Portlaoise, which opened only two years ago, were stopped by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) in advance of the broadcast last night.
A HIQA spokesperson said they are "very concerned about the practices described in the programme" and are engaging directly with those responsible for the operation of the home.
The spokesperson confirmed that admissions to The Residence, Portlaoise were stopped “as part of its escalatory action”.
Undercover RTÉ reporters recorded several distressing incidents at The Residence in Portlaoise and a Dublin nursing home, both run by the Emeis group.
Chronic staffing and equipment shortages were exposed in Portlaoise, where incontinence pads were rationed, residents were left soaking in urine and were moved in a rough manner without the obligatory hoists.
In particularly upsetting scenes at The Residence, a woman fell from her chair and was left lying helpless on a sitting room floor for some time, because no staff were available. In another disturbing incident, a woman with dementia was left crying out for help for a considerable time at night, because of a shortage of staff.
The three storey purpose-built nursing home on Harpur’s Lane failed 10 regulations in a HIQA report last April and new admissions were suspended
HIQA said that further inspection reports on both nursing homes featured in the programme “are currently being finalised and will be published shortly”.
In a statement issued this morning, HIQA said: 'On foot of the RTÉ Investigates programme, HIQA is conscious that this makes very distressing viewing for all nursing home residents, and their families and friends.
'Through its inspections of these services, HIQA identified a number of significant concerns and, as part of its escalatory action, had stopped admissions to one of the centres. Further inspection reports on both of these centres are currently being finalised and will be published shortly.
'However, 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. Our function as a regulator is to ensure that providers are protecting those who use services and ensuring residents are receiving safe, quality care and support. Accordingly, we will be taking the necessary actions with the provider to ensure safe and effective care and support to all residents.
'Our recently published report on our findings from 15 years of regulating nursing homes highlights how the vast majority of nursing homes are now providing good quality care. It also shows that a small number of nursing homes struggle to maintain compliance with the regulations.
'Where there is persistent non-compliance with the regulations or where there is risk to residents’ safety, HIQA’s Chief Inspector takes the necessary enforcement steps which may include attaching restrictive conditions to a centre’s registration, such as stopping new admissions to the centre until improvements are made, or in some cases cancelling the registration of a designated centre.
'In taking such action, we are conscious that nursing homes are people’s homes. The Chief Inspector is mindful that cancelling the registration of a centre can cause significant upset and distress to residents and their families. However, where this is deemed necessary, the Chief Inspector may cancel the registration of the centre. In 2024, we refused to renew registration or cancelled the registration of 10 nursing homes.'
Nursing home representative group The Alliance described the footage as evidence of an ‘appalling litany of neglect, systemic under-resourcing and unsafe practices’ at homes run by one of Ireland’s largest care providers.
