Portiuncula set to bring in bird control over droppings

A large amount of bird droppings discovered at a medical ward in Portiuncula suggests there is a serious pest control issue at the Ballinasloe hospital.

During an unannounced inspection of St Joseph’s Ward in March, HIQA (Health Information and Quality Authority) found “a large amount of bird excreta” on the exterior of several window panes and window sills.

“The extent of the problem indicated that there was a pest control issue which needed to be addressed as a matter of urgency,” HIQA said.

“Accumulation of bird excreta has the potential to increase the risk of transmission of infectious agents to vulnerable patients. Hospitals are responsible for ensuring that there is a pest control programme or service that is responsible for the cleaning and disinfecting areas contaminated by pests in addition to pest control,” it said.

The hospital confirmed the presence of bird droppings was an ongoing problem and it has put in place a “sanitising programme to clean the exterior of the hospital”. It also plans to introduce measures to prevent birds from entering the building including hawk ultrasound, high illumination and netting.

Pest control issues was just one area of concern highlighted in the latest HIQA report, which was published following two unannounced inspections in March and April of this year.

The inspections were a follow-up to the May 2014 unannounced visit by HIQA, which identified several areas for improvements. The HIQA report, published this week, highlights a number of concerns in relation to environmental hygiene at the Oncology Day Unit and St Francis Ward.

There were “unacceptable levels of dust seen in most areas inspected”, and it noted that the only vacuum cleaner available for two wards had been broken for 12 months, which “impacted significantly on dust control”.

The buffer machine wasn’t working properly either, and posed a health and safety risk, the report said. The report noted that six new vacuum cleaners were purchased since the issue was highlighted in March and the hospital took several other steps to address hygiene shortcomings.

HIQA found that the hospital continues to identify a regular but small number of unrelated cases of C. difficile. “While improvements have been seen in environmental hygiene, there is considerable room for increase in hand hygiene compliance and a need to further progress the implementation of the antimicrobial stewardship programme in order to mitigate the risk posed by multidrug-resistant organisms and C. difficile,” it said.

HIQA said that the isolation facilities at Portiuncula, “are inadequate and do not reflect the size, complexity and specialties of the service provided.”

“The hospital has indicated that plans to develop a ward replacement block, which should provide 50 single rooms, is at the design stage. HIQA recommends that the deficiencies in isolation facilities should be reviewed as a matter of urgency to provide assurance that the hospital complies with national standards,” it said.

It concluded the hospital should “continue to build on its progress to date to ensure that the prevention and control of healthcare associated infections is effectively and efficiently managed to minimise the risks to service users, staff and visitors.”