Concerns were raised regarding staff and nursing vacancies of respite centres in Donegal during recent inspections by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA).
Three respite centres in the county received unannounced inspections.
The HSE run facilities include Riverwalk Respite House, Fernhill Respite House and Ballymacool Respite House.
In Fernhill Respite House, those availing of respite care spoke highly of their experience, however the HIQA inspector however found that there was inadequate governance and support of Fernhill Respite House due to a number of vacant management positions.
The outcome of the inspection was that of the 12 regulations inspected, four were deemed to be not compliant.
The HSE has undertaken a number of actions to ensure full compliance with the regulations, this includes recruitment for a Person in Charge and a Disability Service Manager for Fernhill Respite House which is at an advanced stage.
Meanwhile, in Riverwalk Respite House three people availing of respite care at the centre on the day of inspection, were observed as happy, cheerful and content.
However, HIQA found that while the healthcare assistants at the centre were working hard to provide a good service, there were no core nursing staff employed and the provision of the service was entirely dependent on agency nurses.
This impacted on the care and support provided to residents and on the governance arrangements at the centre as the person in charge provided nursing cover regularly.
HIQA acknowledged that the HSE, as the registered provider, was aware of the staffing risks which were ongoing since April 2025 and that it had held a recruitment campaign which was not successful.
During the inspection, 12 regulations were inspected, three of which were deemed to be non-compliant.
To ensure full compliance a number of actions are to be undertaken, including monitoring of the centre’s roster on a weekly basis to ensure there is adequate staffing employed in the centre daily to meet the assessed needs of those accessing respite care.
Vacant nursing positions have also been offered to staff nurse panels and senior management will continuously review the staffing arrangement until all positions are filled.
During the inspection at Ballymacool Respite House, the inspector spoke to some of the adults staying on the day of inspection and noted that the adults referred to their time in the centre as their ‘holidays’ which was reflected in the ethos of the service.
A total of 13 regulations were inspected, all of which received were compliant.
