Residents “well cared for” at Louth disability centre, but fire safety and maintenance raise concerns

An unannounced inspection by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has found that residents at a Louth disability service are “well cared for” and enjoying a warm, homely environment  but significant concerns remain over fire evacuation procedures and delays in addressing maintenance issues.

The inspection of An Sli, a designated centre for adults with disabilities operated by St John of God Community Services CLG, was carried out on November 20, 2025.

Eight residents were living at the centre at the time of the inspection.

In its report, HIQA said the inspection “identified that residents were well cared for,” noting that many were advanced in age and “were receiving support tailored to their varying needs.”

“The inspector found that the health and social needs of the residents were being met,” the report stated. The service was described as nurse-led, with “significant efforts being made to promote their health and improve their quality of life.”

Inspectors observed residents engaging in arts and crafts, preparing for a Christmas craft fair, using a new sensory projector, and participating in iPad training. During the visit, residents were seen chatting with staff in what HIQA described as “a natural, homelike environment.”

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“The residents were heard laughing and singing at various times during the day,” the report noted.

HIQA also found that residents were active in their local community, attending concerts, going to the cinema and socialising. On the day of inspection, two residents went out for a drink with staff support.

Overall, inspectors concluded that residents’ rights were being upheld and that care plans were person-centred, regularly reviewed and reflective of residents’ needs.

However, the inspection identified serious concerns in relation to fire safety, particularly the length of time it took to evacuate residents at night.

The report revealed that the provider had categorised the issue as a “red risk” after identifying that two staff members on night duty were required to evacuate eight residents, all of whom required assistance.

In one drill reviewed by inspectors, it took more than 15 minutes to evacuate residents at night. A further drill in September 2025 took over 13 minutes.

HIQA stated that “the provider had assessed the inability of staff to evacuate residents within an appropriate timeframe during night-time conditions as a high-risk issue,” but had “not implemented sufficient measures to mitigate this risk” at the time of inspection.

The watchdog said it was “not assured that the arrangements in place were adequate to safeguard residents in the event of an emergency at night.”

Following the inspection, an urgent action was issued. A fire consultant attended the centre the next day to oversee a simulated evacuation using a new progressive horizontal evacuation strategy.

According to the provider, that drill took eight minutes and 20 seconds, within the consultant’s recommended time of nine minutes and 30 seconds.

While welcoming the improvement, HIQA said it still had concerns about the delay in addressing the issue, noting that problems with night-time evacuation had first been identified in October 2023 and “had been repeatedly highlighted during subsequent audits.”

Inspectors also found that maintenance issues first identified more than two years ago had yet to be resolved.

A review of action plans showed that damaged flooring throughout corridors, communal areas and storage rooms had been flagged on April 6, 2023. At the time of the November 2025 inspection, the flooring had not been replaced.

HIQA stated that the provider had “failed to address longstanding issues related to the residents’ home” and that the premises were not being kept “in a good state of repair.”

Painting was also required in several areas due to wear and tear.

Under Regulation 23 (Governance and Management), the centre was found to be non-compliant.

HIQA concluded that “the provider had not adequately responded to concerns raised by their own audits,” highlighting “deficiencies in the provider’s governance and management arrangements, particularly regarding fire evacuation measures and premises.”

However, inspectors did acknowledge that local management had identified areas for improvement and addressed issues within their control. Staffing levels during the day were found to be appropriate, and training in key areas such as safeguarding, epilepsy management and manual handling had been completed.

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Some gaps were identified in infection prevention and control refresher training, an issue also highlighted in 2023.

In response to the findings, the provider has committed to completing outstanding fire safety works, reviewing evacuation plans, and carrying out additional fire training in early 2026.

Funding has now been approved to replace flooring throughout the centre, with works scheduled for completion by the end of the first quarter of 2026.

The provider must address fire safety, governance and premises issues by January 31 and March 31, 2026, depending on the regulation.