HIQA stopped admissions to Portlaoise nursing home months before RTÉ report

Admissions to The Residence nursing home in Portlaoise ceased at the end of April due to issues identified in a series reports by the health watchdog HIQA following inspections and other warnings about the care provided. 

The Health Information and Equality Authority revealed information to the Leinster Express / Laios Live after issuing a statement following the exposé of substandard care provided at The Residence nursing home located off Portlaoise's Mountmellick Road. 

Emeis Ireland runs the home, which opened in 2023. The RTÉ investigates programme also featured a Dublin facility which is also run by the French-owned operation.

"On foot of the RTÉ Investigates programme, HIQA is conscious that this makes very distressing viewing for all nursing home residents, and their families and friends.

"Through its inspections of these services, HIQA identified a number of significant concerns and as part of its escalatory action had stopped admissions to one of the centres. Further inspection reports on both of these centres are currently being finalised and will be published shortly," it said.

The initial statement did not name The Residence but subsequently confirmed to the Leinster Express / Laois Live that there the operators of the home were prevented from admitting new residents in April.

A spokesperson said this action was taken because of issues identified in four inspection reports. HIQA said it did not issue a public statement on the change but said the condition is recorded and available to the public on its website.

HIQA said that the action to stop admissions was came into effect in April after the process was initiated following a February. The provider was advised in February, formal notification issued in March and came into effect on April 22.

The condition placed on The Residence states: "No new residents may be admitted to the designated centre until the registered provider has in place a governance and management structure and personnel with the knowledge, competence and skills required to supervise the delivery of care to residents."

The Leinster Express / Laois Live have asked HIQA if The Residence accepted new admissions after the condition came into effect.

HIQA outlined further action.

"However, we are very concerned about the practices described in the programme and we have engaged directly with those responsible for the operation of the nursing homes. Our function as a regulator is to ensure that providers are protecting those who use services and ensuring residents are receiving safe, quality care and support.

"Accordingly, we will be taking the necessary actions with the provider to ensure safe and effective care and support to all residents," said the statement.

HIQA did find shortcomings at the home on foot of three inspections carried out since it opened. While reports were issued in which recommendations were made, the regulator stopped short of suspending.

The HIQA statement outlined the broader situation and how it responds to shortcomings.

"Our recently published report on our findings from 15 Years of Regulating Nursing Homes highlights how the vast majority of nursing homes are now providing good quality care. It also shows that a small number of nursing homes struggle to maintain compliance with the regulations.

"Where there is persistent non-compliance with the regulations or where there is risk to residents’ safety, HIQA’s Chief Inspector takes the necessary enforcement steps which may include attaching restrictive conditions to a centre’s registration, such as stopping new admissions to the centre until improvements are made, or in some cases cancelling the registration of a designated centre.

"In taking such action, we are conscious that nursing homes are people’s homes. The Chief Inspector is mindful that cancelling the registration of a centre can cause significant upset and distress to residents and their families. However, where this is deemed necessary, the Chief Inspector may cancel the registration of the centre. In 2024, we refused to renew registration or cancelled the registration of 10 nursing homes.

"In 2024, inspectors conducted 840 inspections of nursing homes, with 84% being unannounced. Inspections are a core component of the regulation of nursing homes and aim to improve the lived experiences of residents, and allow us to meet with residents on inspection and hear directly from them. Regulation is also informed by other sources of information. Inspectors review all information received about a service from the public, staff working in centres and relatives, and use it to inform the ongoing monitoring of and regulatory activity in that service.

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"As a regulator, HIQA takes a risk-based approach to regulation. Most nursing homes can expect one or two inspections a year, but we carry out more inspections in those centres where there are concerns about the care and welfare of residents or where there is repeated non-compliance with the regulations.

"In 2024, 36 nursing homes received three or more inspections in response to persistent non-compliance. The nursing homes featured in this programme were subject to a number of additional inspections in an effort to bring them into compliance.
HIQA will continue its programme of work in nursing homes and encourages residents and their family and friends to engage with us directly about their experiences so that we can support the delivery of safe and effective care and support. HIQA will continue to engage with all nursing home providers, the Department of Health and representative bodies to drive improvements in the sector," concluded the statement.

In a statement responding to the RTÉ programme Emeis Ireland said: "Emeis Ireland apologises unequivocally to all residents and their families for the suffering and distress experienced as a result of failures identified in the care provided,"

Speaking at the official opening in October 2024, Neal McGroarty, CEO of Emeis Ireland said he was "extremely pleased" to see the "state-of-the-art" nursing home providing vital, personalised nursing and residential care services to our residents and the local community.

"Our expansion plans enable us to continue to foster the highest standards of care, services and links with local communities and other stakeholders, including the HSE and acute hospitals, as we move forward. Our staff are at the heart of everything we do, and we are proud to offer a workplace where they can thrive professionally while making a difference in the lives of our residents,” he said.

The Portlaoise home opened in 2023 in a major mixed development at the Maltings near Portlaoise Train Station.