Galway Bay fm newsroom - A HIQA inspection of Mountbellew Nursing Home has identified issues with staffing.
It found that in the event of an outbreak of Covid-19, there was inadequate nursing staff to ensure residents were cared for in line with health guidelines.
However, the issue has since been addressed through the recruitment of additional nurses
The inspection, carried out in November, found the unit was compliant or substantially compliant with 14 out of 16 criteria.
It found the centre was well-maintained with good facilities, and interactions between staff and residents were positive and engaging.
However it identified issues with staffing - with the inspector finding that at the time of inspection, it did not allow for two nurse-led teams.
This meant in the event of a suspected or confirmed case of Covid-19, one nurse would have to provide care to all residents, increasing the risk of infection.
Management said this was due to difficulty in recruiting nursing staff.
In response to the assessment, they said two additional full time nursing staff had been recruited, while a third was due to start in late December.
It also noted that two retired nurses were on stand-by to work in the event of sick leave, holiday leave or an outbreak of Covid-19.
