Under-fire nursing home set for revamp

A public nursing home in County Galway that has been the subject of several negative HIQA inspections is in line for a revamp.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) has confirmed that it expects to lodge a planning application for an overhaul of Áras Mhuire in Tuam early in 2019.

It had been announced previously that the planning application for the new 50-bed unit would be lodged by the end of 2018.

In a statement to the Connacht Tribune, the HSE confirmed a revised timeline.

“The design of the new 50 bed Community Nursing Unit in Tuam has commenced and a Stage 1 report is now finalised. The HSE are expecting to lodge a planning submission early in the new year and the proposed unit is expected to be in construction in 2020,” the statement said.

Built in the 1960s, it was originally a novitiate for nuns and opened as a care centre for older persons in 1975.

The facility has been criticised by HIQA (the Health Information and Quality Authority) following inspections. The latest inspection report highlights many positive aspects of the standard of care offered at the nursing home but once again is critical of the building itself.

The latest report said: “The current building continued to pose a challenge to the delivery of care” and “Improvements were required to risk management and infection control.”

It added: “As identified on previous inspections, elements of the design and layout of the building did not meet the individual and collective needs of residents, and did not meet regulatory requirements. The provider representative outlined that plans were in place to construct a new 50-bed centre on a greenfield site, that funding was available, a design team was appointed and the building was expected to be completed by 2020.”