15 October 2010
Non-Statutory Inquiry into the transfer of Mr. Peter McKenna to Leas Cross Nursing Home
The HSE published the report of the Non-Statutory Inquiry into the transfer of Mr. Peter McKenna to Leas Cross Nursing Home in October 2010.
The document is available from the .pdf links to the right, divided into 3 parts for ease of downloading.
In May 2007, following representations by the family of the late Mr. McKenna to the Minister for Health & Children,the Non-Statutory Inquiry was established by the Health Service Executive to inquire into the decision and circumstances leading to the transfer of Mr. Peter McKenna from St. Michael’s House to Leas Cross Nursing Home.
Conor Dignam BL carried out the Inquiry and the terms of reference focussed on the decision to transfer Mr McKenna, the circumstances leading to that decision and his transfer with a view to makingrecommendations specific to this case.
Mr. McKenna, a client of St. Michael’s House since the mid 1970’s, was transferred from St. Michael’s House to Leas Cross Nursing Home on the 10th October 2000. Mr McKenna passed away on the 22nd October 2000.
The report makes a total of eight recommendations in this regard. All of the recommendations have already been fully implemented by St Michael’s House through the improvement and strengthening of a series of standard policies.
The HSE has a long established and positive working relationship with St. Michael’s House. As the funder of services delivered by St Michael House, the HSE has assured itself that these polices have been implemented. The HSE is satisfied that St Michael's House has in place robust policies and procedures in relation to the use of external facilities including the assessment of private nursing homes; decision-making processes; handover procedures; definition of roles and functions of staff; and contingency planning. The polices related to the recommendations of this Inquiry are monitored as part of the regular governance meetings with the Health Service Executive
Quarterly Integrated Monitoring meetings and various other forums are used to both monitor and work collaboratively with St Michael’s House and form part of the formal monitoring process between the two agencies.
Stephen Mulvany, Regional Director, HSE said ‘’The HSE sympathises with the family for the distress they have endured over ten years in seeking to have their questions answered in relation to their brother. We hope that the Report published today answers their questions in relation to the transfer of Mr McKenna to Leas Cross and will help to bring closure to them.
The HSE and St. Michael’s House have been meeting to discuss the findings and recommendations of the Report and the HSE is satisfied that all of the recommendations in this Report have already been implemented by St. Michael’s House’’
He said ‘’I would like to formally thank Conor Dignam BL for a very thorough and well researched report and acknowledge the contribution of all those who assisted the inquiry. The learning from this Report will be shared throughout our services to ensure continued service improvement.‘’
The HSE has over the last number of years done extensive work on the development of Service Arrangements with organisations providing a service on its behalf. The Service Arrangements contain terms and conditions that the organisations receiving funding from the HSE must accept and agree and to which funding provided is linked. Much of the agreement relates to good governance of the organisation.
St. Michael’s House provides a wide range of services to children and adults with intellectual disabilities on behalf of the HSE. The HSE commission the provision of these services by St. Michael’s House within a formal governance structure of a service level agreement with regard to the range and level of services to be provided by St. Michael’s House on behalf of the HSE.
The Service Arrangement includes such items as:
- Quality and Standards
- Service Delivery Specification
- Performance Monitoring
- Information Requirements
- Funding
- Insurance
- Complaints
- Staffing
The HSE fully endorse the recommendations of the Report and accept the view that a standardised formal process needs to be further developed and agreed criteria set out. The HSE will progress this work immediately involving all key stakeholders. This process will refer to all the components contained in the recommendations.
A copy of the report is available on this website from the links above right.
