HIQA finds good care at Louth disability centre, but risk concerns remain
HIQA found Whitmore Lodge residents were well cared for and treated with respect
A HIQA inspection of Whitmore Lodge in Louth has found that residents were generally well cared for and treated with respect, but significant improvements were required in the centre’s risk management procedures.
The unannounced inspection at the St John of God Community Services facility took place on 7th-8th May 2026. Whitmore Lodge is an eight-bedroom centre providing nursing support to adults with changing medical needs. Six residents were living there at the time of the inspection.
In its overall assessment, the inspector found that the centre was “well-resourced” and that staff were promoting “person-centred care based on the assessed needs of the residents”.
“The residents looked well cared for, were treated with respect and in general appeared to have a good quality of life,” the report stated.
However, the report highlighted a number of areas where improvements were needed, with risk management singled out as the most significant concern.
“Risk management required significant improvements due to a number of risk assessments in the centre requiring attention,” the inspector stated. Improvements were also required in relation to general welfare and development, records, residents’ rights, governance and management, and the notification of incidents.
The centre was found to be not compliant with Regulation 26 concerning risk management procedures. The inspector identified concerns relating to water hygiene and legionella, equipment servicing, staffing shortages and the consistency of risk information contained in residents’ care plans.
Staff were observed flushing taps as a precaution against legionella, while bottled water was being used for consumption. However, HIQA found that the risk assessment was not comprehensive and did not explain what should happen if legionella was detected in water testing.
The report also found gaps in records of daily water flushing and noted that there was “confusion” about who was responsible for planning equipment servicing and ensuring service records were retained at the centre.
Staff shortages arising from unplanned absences were another area of concern. Staff had raised complaints on two occasions when shifts could not be filled. While the provider had carried out a risk assessment, HIQA found it did not adequately set out how residents’ assessed needs would be met during future staffing deficits.
Importantly, the inspector said that residents were not unduly affected by the staffing shortfalls on the two occasions examined.
There were also positive findings around the day-to-day care provided. Staff were described as “caring, attentive and knowledgeable” about residents’ needs and respectful of their wishes.
Residents were supported to maintain relationships with family and participate in activities. Two residents who enjoyed football and rugby had recently attended a rugby match in Dublin, while staff also ensured that a resident continued to visit a family member’s grave each year.
Family members had recorded several compliments about the quality of care, including support provided to residents approaching the end of life. One family praised staff for arranging a special dinner which allowed relatives to celebrate together.
HIQA also found that medicines were managed appropriately, healthcare needs were being met, and food and nutrition arrangements were compliant.
Some shortcomings remained around residents’ individual activities and rights. The inspector found limited evidence of one-to-one activities, despite residents having memory boxes and family albums that could be used for this purpose. Records of residents’ meetings also needed more detail about how residents had been involved in decisions.
Following the inspection, St John of God Community Services submitted a compliance plan. This included updating legionella risk assessments, introducing new systems for recording water-quality checks, ensuring staff received dementia training, improving one-to-one activity planning and strengthening records relating to residents’ finances and meetings.
The provider was required to address the risk-management findings by June 25, 2026.