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| Graan Abbey nursing home: Inspectors severely criticise care standards | Graan Abbey nursing home: Inspectors severely criticise care standards |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Northern Ireland's health regulators have severely criticised a nursing home after the quality of care fell below minimum standards. | Northern Ireland's health regulators have severely criticised a nursing home after the quality of care fell below minimum standards. |
| The Graan Abbey nursing home in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, provides care to more than 80 elderly people. | The Graan Abbey nursing home in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, provides care to more than 80 elderly people. |
| The inspection was triggered by a whistleblower who raised concerns over several issues including the respect and dignity of elderly patients. | The inspection was triggered by a whistleblower who raised concerns over several issues including the respect and dignity of elderly patients. |
| The nursing home has now been served with an enforcement notice. | The nursing home has now been served with an enforcement notice. |
| Safety breaches | Safety breaches |
| The unannounced inspection was carried out by the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA), after it was contacted by the whistleblower in April. | The unannounced inspection was carried out by the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA), after it was contacted by the whistleblower in April. |
| RQIA inspectors found a number of breaches to health and safety regulations when they visited the nursing home. | RQIA inspectors found a number of breaches to health and safety regulations when they visited the nursing home. |
| They also discovered some patients dressed in day clothes but still in bed by mid-morning, as staff did not have time to move them to the day room. | They also discovered some patients dressed in day clothes but still in bed by mid-morning, as staff did not have time to move them to the day room. |
| Inspectors were also concerned about unattended medication; cold food including porridge being served; out-of date care records and insufficient staff training. | Inspectors were also concerned about unattended medication; cold food including porridge being served; out-of date care records and insufficient staff training. |
| Follow-up inspection | Follow-up inspection |
| Despite the owner being advised to address these issues urgently - when inspectors returned in June the nursing home had not complied with the recommendations. | Despite the owner being advised to address these issues urgently - when inspectors returned in June the nursing home had not complied with the recommendations. |
| The home has now been served with an official warning, which, if ignored, could potentially lead to the home's closure. | The home has now been served with an official warning, which, if ignored, could potentially lead to the home's closure. |
| While many homes receive warnings, this one is significant as the regulators acted swiftly after being contacted by a whistleblower. | While many homes receive warnings, this one is significant as the regulators acted swiftly after being contacted by a whistleblower. |
| Aidan Hanna of Patients First, an organisation which campaigns for openness in the health service and gives support to whistleblowers, said was positive that the RQIA had acted on the concerns raised. | |
| "The issues that the whistleblower raised were found by the inspector when they went into the home, so the RQIA have acted swiftly," Mr Hanna said. | |
| He added that the complaints process was becoming easier. | |
| "Hopefully things are changing with families, patients and staff speaking out if they are unhappy with their care." |