Concerning HIQA report mandates external overseer for Dungloe Community Hospital
Several criticisms included in report, including residents' rights, management, and fire safety
The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) found Dungloe Community Hospital to be not compliant with important regulations, including Governance and Management, in a report detailing an unannounced inspection.
An unannounced inspection was carried out by HIQA at Dungloe Community Hospital in March 2025, in which it was deemed not compliant with four regulations, including Premises, Fire Precautions, Residents’ Rights, as well as Governance and Management.
Dungloe Community Hospital is one of eight community hospitals in Donegal and provides accommodation for 34 residents. There are 17 places allocated for long-term care, and the remaining places are allocated to residents who have rehabilitation, convalescent, respite, or palliative care needs.
The HIQA report criticised the designated centre for not progressing with the compliance plan following previous inspections in February 2024 and September 2024.
Previous inspections “had repeatedly raised concerns that multi-occupancy rooms in this designated centre did not ensure the privacy and dignity of all residents living in each room,” and “therefore, the registered provider (HSE) was required by the office of the Chief Inspector to define a clear management structure and to appoint a Person Participating in Management (PPIM) who would have the authority and accountability to make senior management decisions in the centre to ensure that the centre will achieve compliance with the regulations.”
Furthermore, the report indicated that “a restrictive condition was attached” to Dungloe Community Hospital’s registration, which “outlined that the registered provider shall ensure that no new resident is admitted to or transferred into any of the multi-occupancy rooms in the designated centre until the particulars of the condition were addressed.”
The inspection also found that there was an “oversight of fire safety management and the processes to identify and manage fire safety risks required improvement to ensure the safety of residents,” and that “some management systems were not sufficiently robust and required action.”
As well as concerns regarding multi-occupancy rooms, the inspection found issues with the centre’s premises, including insufficient space in both single bedrooms and multi-occupied bedrooms, inadequate storage and staff areas, and an insufficient dirty laundry facility. It was also noted that inspections carried out in September 2021, December 2021, and February 2024, had repeatedly raised these concerns.
In response, the designated centre responded to HIQA concerns, defending its management structure, stating that it “clearly outlines the lines of operational authority and accountability” with decision making, and continued to serve the centre’s Statement of Purpose.
Moreover, it said that National HSE Management had been working with the regulator regarding the regulated requirement of the PPIM and “these discussions remain ongoing and once concluded by both parties, a solution ACCEPTABLE TO BOTH will be put forward.”
The provider also stated regarding fire safety measures that an assessment had been completed by the HSE Fire Officer, and it was “anticipated” that all actions identified would be completed in the centre by July 2025.