A number of Tipperary service users attend Camphill facilities in County Kilkenny.
Camphill Communities of Ireland is part of an international charitable trust working with people with intellectual disabilities and other kinds of special needs.
They operate a number of centres in Kilkenny – in Callan, Ballytobin, Jerpoint, Kyle and Thomastown…a number of Tipperary service users attend these facilities
They also run three facilities in Tipperary though these were not included in these latest inspections by the Health Information and Quality Authority
HIQA carried out announced inspections at two unnamed Camphill centres in Kilkenny in April and May of this year.
They were found to be failing to manage the units correctly and did not have adequate safeguarding arrangements in place to protect residents from the risk of abuse.
During one of the inspections an immediate action plan was issued to the provider due to untrained staff administering a specific emergency medication and insufficient staff trained to administer another emergency medication.
Overall, inspectors were not satisfied that the provider had put systems in place to ensure that the regulations were being met which posed a potential risk for residents.
Staff were observed to be committed, tolerant, patient and encouraging of residents at all times during the inspection.
At the second Kilkenny centre, concerns were raised about access to resident’s bank accounts – while inspectors found no evidence of any irregular financial activity, a lack of oversight and decision making did not support safe practice and ensure that residents were protected from the risk of financial abuse.
Concerns were also raised following an inspection at another Camphill centre in County Kildare.
HIQA's also highlighting a number of concerns in relation to the Daughters of Charity, Western Care and the Paddock facilities across the country.
