Centre for adults with disabilities ‘ran out of money for food’

A designated centre for adults with disabilities in Co Galway ran out of money for food in the weeks leading up to Christmas last year.
Clochan Services in Co Galway offers full-time residential as well as respite care to a maximum of six adults with intellectual, as well as sometimes physical, disabilities.
The centre, located in a detached, four-bedroom house on the outskirts of a rural town, is run by Ability West, which employs more than 600 people in more than 60 facilities across Galway city and county.
On December 6th last year, an inspection carried out by the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) found staff at Clochan Services had about €3 left to spend on groceries to pay for dinner and the following morning’s breakfast.
According to a Hiqa report published on Thursday, the person in charge of the centre explained that resident contributions were used to pay bills and purchase groceries for the centre.
An issue had arisen with one service user not making a financial contribution since the summer of last year and the centre had been left at a financial deficit.
The report noted the person in charge had previously highlighted the situation with Ability West but “on the evening of December 6th, 2023, the centre had approximately €3 to spend on groceries”.
“On this evening, the person in charge used their own money to purchase groceries for the residents’ evening meal and breakfast the following morning,” according to the report.
The Hiqa inspector found this represented “a complete lack of governance on behalf of the provider which had the potential to have a profound and negative impact on the provision of care. The responsibility to adequately resource the designated centre rests solely with the registered provider, Ability West”, he said.
The inspector also found the provider had been made aware of the problem but “had not responded in a timely manner”.
In a report on an unannounced, two-day inspection in May this year, Hiqa determined “the residents who used this service enjoyed a good quality of life and they were supported by a kind and considerate staff team”.
Hiqa said “there had also been a marked improvement in the quality and safety of care which was provided to residents since the last inspection of this centre”.
The report noted a review had found there was “no negative impact on residents’ finances found” and a senior manager with Ability West had “confirmed that the resources within the centre had been strengthened to ensure that this situation does not arise again”.
Among other reports released by Hiqa on Wednesday was one of an inspection of another centre for people with disabilities, St Dominics Services, also under the umbrella of Ability West.
St Dominics Services provides residential and respite care for up to seven adults in a bungalow in a Co Galway town. It had previously been threatened with being struck off the register of approved centres by Hiqa following previous inspections.
However, following an inspection in June of this year to assess progress, a Hiqa inspector noted “the provider had largely implemented the compliance plan”.
The inspector found there were marked improvements in the overall provision of care and there were “sustained improvements in many of the regulations which were inspected”.
But the inspector said “recent reviews by physiotherapy” of a resident’s falls risk had identified that they were at serious risk of personal injury should they sustain a fall.