Connacht Tribune
Residents with intellectual disabilities left in fear after violent outbursts
A resident in a Galway facility for adults with intellectual disabilities was behind 14 violent incidents which left the other men living there in fear and often confined to their bedrooms.
An inspection by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) found that Ability West had identified 13 “safeguarding incidents” had taken place last year and a further incident had taken place in February 2023 at Devon Lodge in Salthill.
There had been a recent escalation in “behaviour of concern” by this resident which was having a negative impact on the other four men there.
Staff described residents as “living in fear”, “living on edge”, “unable to relax” and “walking on eggshells”.
“Staff advised that despite safeguarding plans in place being implemented and good supports being available from the designated officer and psychologist, they were unable to prevent behaviour of concern such as shouting and threats of aggression,” the inspector stated.
One of the sitting rooms was allocated for use solely by this resident.
“Residents were not always able to enjoy living in the house in a relaxed environment, could not always choose to spend time in the rooms of their choice and could not always choose to use various facilities in the house for fear of negative peer interaction,” the inspector stated.
“Some residents had restricted access to parts of the house at times. For example, some residents had to go directly to their bedrooms on return from day service to allow staff time to determine how another resident was presenting. Some residents were restricted regarding the times they got up, from using parts of the house and using facilities in the house due to fear of verbal abuse and negative interactions with another resident.”
Because of the challenging behaviour, the other men could not have visitors.
Staff were also negatively impacted by the man’s challenging behaviour and spoke to the inspector about enduring “aggression and violence”, bullying and workplace stress.
The situation at the house was compounded by recent staffing shortages when just one staff member was on duty for the morning shift instead of two. Just one worker was on duty at night. One staff member was on long term sick leave, another on maternity leave and another was due to retire shortly. Relief staff were not always available at short notice as they also worked in other designated centres.
Ability West had previously agreed to provide alternative living accommodation for the man, but the inspector said progress was slow and there was no definitive date about when the proposed property would be ready for occupation.
“The provider had completed the purchase of alternative accommodation for one resident who wished to have their own apartment and that a planning application was currently under consideration. They advised that a planning decision was due by the end of March and that an architect was currently drafting plans for the project.”
Following the report, Ability West agreed to move the “incompatible” resident to another vacant centre between 4pm and 8pm during the week and 10am to 6pm at weekends until the permanent home was ready for the welfare of the residents and staff.
At a second residential facility for adults with intellectual disabilities run by Ability West, HIQA praised the improved staffing since the previous inspection.
But the inspector criticised the plan at Ocean Wave Services to bring in another resident to live with the other four, even though the centre was licensed to accommodate five adults.
“Although there was vacancy in this centre, the provider had not given consideration to the potential implications to the quality and safety of care delivered to the four residents already living there,” the report states.
Ability West had also not outlined a “no robust action plan” to carry out improvements required to the building in Salthill to meet the changing needs of residents.
Ability West said it acknowledges that there are “a number of non-compliance issues” relating to residential centres in Galway following the HIQA inspections.
“The response to the inspections was treated as an immediate priority by the senior management team and the Ability West Board of Directors,” said a spokesperson.
“Ability West has had positive engagement with HIQA regarding a regulatory plan over an agreed period of six months, to address non-compliances. They are also working with their primary funders, the HSE, in this regard.
“Ability West is committed to the safety and wellbeing of the adults and children that they support, and a compliance plan was implemented as a matter of urgency.”
The charity said it had been in contact with its employees, people they support, families and carers to brief them on the HIQA engagement.
“The organisation will continue to work closely with HIQA and the HSE to ensure that all services provided across its residential and day services are of the standard required by HIQA.”
Significant state investment is required to address ‘shocking’ inequalities that leave cancer patients in the West at greater risk of succumbing to the disease.
A meeting of Regional Health Forum West heard that survival rates for breast, lung and colorectal cancers than the national average, and with the most deprived quintile of the population, the West’s residents faced poorer outcomes from a cancer diagnosis.
For breast cancer patients, the five-year survival rate was 80% in the West versus 85% nationally; for lung cancer patients it was 16.7% in the west against a 19.5% national survival rate; and in the West’s colorectal cancer patients, there was a 62.6% survival rate where the national average was 63.1%.
These startling statistics were provided in answer to a question from Ballinasloe-based Cllr Evelyn Parsons (Ind) who said it was yet another reminder that cancer treatment infrastructure in the West was in dire need of improvement.
“The situation is pretty stark. In the Western Regional Health Forum area, we have the highest incidence of deprivation and the highest health inequalities because of that – we have the highest incidences of cancer nationally because of that,” said Cllr Parsons, who is also a general practitioner.
In details provided by CEO of Saolta Health Care Group, which operates Galway’s hospitals, it was stated that a number of factors were impacting on patient outcomes.
Get the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.
Galway 3-18
Cork 1-10
NEW setting; new opposition; new challenge. It made no difference to the Galway minor hurlers as they chalked up a remarkable sixth consecutive double digits championship victory at Semple Stadium on Saturday.
The final scoreline in Thurles may have been a little harsh on Cork, but there was no doubting Galway’s overall superiority in setting up only a second-ever All-Ireland showdown against Clare at the same venue on Sunday week.
Having claimed an historic Leinster title the previous weekend, Galway took a while to get going against the Rebels and also endured their first period in a match in which they were heavily outscored, but still the boys in maroon roll on.
Beating a decent Cork outfit by 14 points sums up how formidable Galway are. No team has managed to lay a glove on them so far, and though Clare might ask them questions other challengers haven’t, they are going to have to find significant improvement on their semi-final win over 14-man Kilkenny to pull off a final upset.
Galway just aren’t winning their matches; they are overpowering the teams which have stood in their way. Their level of consistency is admirable for young players starting off on the inter-county journey, while the team’s temperament appears to be bombproof, no matter what is thrown at them.
Having romped through Leinster, Galway should have been a bit rattled by being only level (0-4 each) after 20 minutes and being a little fortunate not to have been behind; or when Cork stormed out of the blocks at the start of the second half by hitting 1-4 to just a solitary point in reply, but there was never any trace of panic in their ranks.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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GARDAÍ and the IFA have issued a joint appeal to all road users to take extra care as the silage season gets under way across the country.
Silage harvesting started in many parts of Galway last week – and over the coming month, the sight of tractors and trailers on rural roads will be getting far more frequent.
Inspector Conor Madden, who is in charge of Galway Roads Policing, told the Farming Tribune that a bit of extra care and common-sense from all road users would go a long way towards preventing serious collisions on roads this summer.
“One thing I would ask farmers and contractors to consider is to try and get more experienced drivers working for them.
“Tractors have got faster and bigger – and they are also towing heavy loads of silage – so care and experience are a great help in terms of accident prevention,” Inspector Madden told the Farming Tribune.
He said that tractor drivers should always be aware of traffic building up behind them and to pull in and let these vehicles pass, where it was safe to do so.
“By the same token, other road users should always exercise extra care; drive that bit slower; and ‘pull in’ that bit more, when meeting tractors and heavy machinery.
“We all want to see everyone enjoying a safe summer on our roads – that extra bit of care, and consideration for other roads users can make a huge difference,” said Conor Madden.
He also advised motorists and tractor drivers to be acutely aware of pedestrians and cyclists on the roads during the summer season when more people would be out walking and cycling on the roads.
The IFA has also joined in on the road safety appeal with Galway IFA Farm Family and Social Affairs Chair Teresa Roche asking all road users to exercise that extra bit of care and caution.
“We are renewing our annual appeal for motorists to be on the look out for tractors, trailers and other agricultural machinery exiting from fields and farmyards,” she said.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
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The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Families queue up for school’s offer of free house
West has lower cancer survival rates than rest
Galway minors continue to lay waste to all opponents
Gardaí and IFA issue a joint appeal on summer road safety
Marathon Man plans to call a halt – but not before he hits 160 races
