A new Health Information Quality Authority (HIQA) report into a nursing home in Waterford city has upheld two concerns about the safeguarding of vulnerable adults at the centre that were reported to it.
The report suggests that a call bell was removed from a resident at night, preventing them from seeking immediate assisstance.
It also shows that residents were being woken and dressed early in the morning, before day staff arrived at Waterford Nursing Home, run by Mowlam Healthcare Services. Those being woken up included some residents who were being given sedatives at night to help them sleep.
Management at the centre said those who were found dressed and seated in the home from 6.30am by inspectors had, in some cases, chosen to get up because of medication or personal care needs.
An internal report at the home led to a new call bell system to be installed, however HIQA said an investigation into the unplugging of bells was not adequate.
The inspection was instigated after two separate concerns relating to the safeguarding of vulnerable adults were reported to HIQA.
Of the six headings the authority investigated at the home, four areas were found to be majorly non-compliant.
58 people were living at the centre at the time of the unannounced inspection last November.
