THE death of nine residents during a Covid-19 outbreak left staff at a Donegal nursing home significantly impacted.
A HIQA report following an inspection at Beach Hill Manor, Lisfannon, Fahan earlier this year has been published.
In January, 2021, a significant Covid-19 outbreak saw 35 residents and 15 staff members affected.
“The outbreak had a significant impact on all the staff who were extremely sad at the loss of the residents, most of whom had lived in the centre for many years,” the HIQA report says.
“A number of staff described their sadness and told the inspector that the residents were like a family to them and that the loss was immense.”
Throughout the outbreak the person in charge hadworked closely with local public health professionals and the Health Service Executive (HSE) to implement the centre’s COVID-19 contingency plan and to ensure the outbreak was managed in line with the recommended guidance.
HIQ said: “Staff described how they had worked hard to protect the residents during and since the outbreak.
“Staff were also aware of the impact of the pandemic and resulting restrictions had on the residents.
“The inspector acknowledged that residents and staff living and working in centre has been through a challenging time.
“They acknowledged that staff and management always had the best interests of residents at the forefront of everything they did during the outbreak and since.
“However, improvement was now required in the oversight of the centre to ensure that the quality and safety of care delivered to residents was consistent and that regulatory compliance was achieved.”
The centre is a 48-bed purpose built nursing home with 34 single and seven twin bedrooms.
There were 34 residents on the date of the HIQA inspection.
HIQA say that six residents also died after a Covid-19 outbreak at Harbour Lights Nursing Home in Bruckless.
There, 35 residents and 11 staff were confirmed to have contracted Covid-19 and six residents died.
The HIQA report said: “A resident who had contracted the virus told the inspectors that they had not been seriously unwell but that they had been very frightened. Residents acknowledged that staff and management had their best interest at the forefront of everything they did during the outbreak and since.’
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