Longford nursing home hailed by Hiqa

Laurel Lodge Nursing Home was adjudged to be substantially compliant in eight areas surveyed and compliant in six accompanying sections during an unannounced inspection to November 23, 2022.

The Longford town based facility had previously come in for criticism in February last year after it was revealed how a Covid-19 outbreak was not “being effectively managed” days after it was forced to go into full lockdown.

However, when inspectors visited the Templemichael based facility they found a number of continued improvements had been made since a previous inspection last August.

“The registered provider had addressed many of the outstanding actions from the previous inspection and improvements were found on this inspection,” noted the inspectors.

The contents of the 24 page report also detailed how inspectors had “partially substantiated” unsolicited information of concern that had been received prior to the inspection, which related to areas such as governance and management, quality of care provision and staffing.

It continued, saying management had identified these areas with work very much ongoing to address those issues.

“The inspectors found that significant improvements had been made since the previous inspection in relation to the quality and safety of care and support provided which was leading to improved outcomes for the residents,” read the report.

One area inspectors highlighted as being in need of sustained attention was the wider area of staffing.

“The recruitment records showed that a number of staff were due to start in the following three months, including health care assistants and staff nurses,” added the report.

It was evident, inspectors found that management were working hard to recruit staff, but qualified those remarks by contending “a significant proportion” of the staff on duty on the day of the inspection had been recruited recently with some still to fully complete the centre's induction or probationary processes.