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Two more residents connected to a crisis-stricken nursing home at the center of a Covid-19 cluster have died after testing positive for the virus.
As of last Friday, six residents connected to the nursing home in Kerry had succumbed to the virus, according to a statement from HSE chief operating officer Anne O’Connor.
Since then, it has emerged that two more residents linked to Oaklands Nursing Home in Derry, Listowel, have passed away.
The latest deaths come amid claims that health officials acted “too late” to take control of the nursing home, which was turned out to be a “center in chaos” by inspectors.
Last week, on the heels of a court order, the HSE took over the nursing home after HIQA inspectors found older residents testing positive for Covid-19 mixing with other vulnerable residents.
HIQA Deputy Chief Inspector Susan Cliff told the court that Oaklands residents had been wandering unsupervised and that those with ‘classic’ Covid-19 symptoms were not being monitored.
Family members now want to know why HIQA and HSE didn’t move earlier.
The nursing home had been the subject of repeated investigations in the months before its registration certificate was finally canceled last week.
“Too little action was taken and too late,” Gerry Kennedy told the. His brother Sean, 77, died of Covid-19 on Friday, November 13, at the home.
“If the Food Safety Authority discovered that a restaurant was not complying with various food regulations, it would go in and close it immediately.”
She said the first thing she knew about compliance issues at the home was when she learned of media reports that the home had been taken away by the HSE within days of her brother’s death.
“Hearing that the HSE had come in and hearing the reasons why it was devastating for the whole family,” said Gerry, who spoke about his brother’s case for the first time on RTE Radio 1 .
“The people who worked there did the best they could. Every time I or his wife was there, the place was clean, light and airy, and people were looked after.
“No one from the HSE, or HIQA bothered to let his wife of 54 years or any of his five children know before the story broke that this was what was going on behind the scenes. And this added to his great anguish. “
Local Sinn Fein TD Pa Daly said he believed the current regulations covering nursing homes “are not fit for purpose.”
He said:
The HSE provided “high-level support” to the Oaklands nursing home following what was described as “a significant Covid-19 outbreak.”
The role of the agency was to “provide clinical governance” for a period.
Unannounced inspections of the home in the summer found violations of infection control regulations and there were concerns that no one was actually in charge of the home.
Then a process began, which included repeated inspections and warnings of the home.
Health regulator HIQA finally obtained an order in Kerry District Court canceling the registration of Bolden (Nursing) Ltd last week.
This was done, the watchdog said, “in the interests of the health, safety and quality of life of the residents.”
The HSE, which is now in charge of the household, stressed that “any issue related to registering a center is a matter between the individual provider and HIQA.”
HIQA declined last night to comment on comments made by relatives of residents of the Oaklands nursing home in Derry, Listowel.
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