This article is from page 8 of the 2014-10-14 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 8 JPG
THE Chief Fire Off cer for Clare has been requested to investigate f re safety standards at St Joseph’s Hospital in Ennis.
The call was issued last week by local councilor James Breen (Ind) in response to a report by health watchdog HIQA on safety standards at the hospital.
In an email to Clare County Council, Adrian Kelly, Chief Fire Off cer states that since 2008 there has been an extensive f re safety upgrade at St Joseph’s Hospital.
The email states the upgrade included a full f re risk assessment and the granting of four f re safety certif icates to the hospital. Upgrades were carried out to f re escape routes; f re detection and alarm systems; f re doors; compart mentation; pre f re planning; f re safety management and fore brigade access. “A full f re exercise was carried out between f re f ghters in Ennis f re brigade and staff at the hospital in 2011.
“The premises is due to be re-inspected shortly but it accepted there has been extensive work carried out in order to upgrade f re safety stand ards at St Joseph’s Hospital”, the email states.
The email was disclosed to councillors at the October meeting of the Ennis Municipal District Committee. The report by HIQA carried out following an unannounced inspection in August was critical of the geriatric hospital for not acting on recommendations following a serious f re relat ed incident in March during which a patient was injured.
In her report last week HIQA’s inspector Mary Moore reported that staff at the hospital said they did not have time to supervise residents while they smoked. The report was also critical of f re safety procedures including the lack of availability of proper f re blankets in certain parts of the hospital.
Since the report was published the HSE has issued a statement saying that it will co-operate with the coroner in relation to the patients death.
Meanwhile Bernard Gloster, Area Manager, HSE Mid –West said there are no plans to build a new hospital.
“We want to assure the public that the inspection carried out was routine as part of the regulatory process and inspections happen in both public and private facilities all over the country,” he said.
“A substantial part of the concern in the report is to do with the f re safety precautions. These have been addressed and the inspector conf rmed satisfaction with the actions put forward.”
The work undertaken includes the replacement of f re hose reels with f re extinguishers; having corridors renamed and permanent signage erected.
In its statement the HSE also said, “The Report makes reference to the recommendations of an internal investigation following an incident in March 2014.
“The HSE is limited in its capacity to comment at the present time on these matters, we can, however, conf rm that a resident sustained in juries in an apparent smoking related incident.
“The recommendations from the investigation into that matter were being implemented at the time of the inspection but were not completed, hence, the comment in the Inspection Report.”