Supervision lifted on The Home in Saba

The Dutch Health Care Inspectorate IGZ has revoked the increased supervision on Saba’s home for the elderly, the Honourable Henry Carlyle Every Home. The structural shortcomings have been addressed, the IGZ announced on Thursday.

IGZ imposed increased supervision on The Home in October 2014 for a period of six months due to continued problems with the quality of safety and care. The know-how and abilities of management and staff didn’t correspond with the needs of the clients. And, the storage and administering of medication wasn’t suffi ciently safeguarded.

Efforts of the provider, the Benevolent Foundation of Saba (BFS) to realise the improvements within six months proved inadequate and as such the supervision was prolonged in April 2015 by another six months.

IGZ representatives visited The Home on November 18, 2015, and a follow-up meeting was held at the Dutch Ministry of Public Health, Wellbeing and Sports VWS on December 3, 2015. Discussed at this latter meeting was the business case for the planned merger between the BFS and the Saba Health Care Foundation (SHCF) which should take effect on March 1, 2016.

The recent inspection showed that The Home now complies with the main conditions for good care. Measures proposed by the IGZ were complied with under the guidance of a new management. The necessary improvements in the providing of care for the home’s residents have been implemented, and a quality system has been established.

The IGZ praised the new management and staff of the BFS for their hard work and “enthusiastic involvement” to improve care for the clients and to comply with the measures imposed by the Health Inspectorate. The IGZ said it had confidence in further improvements and the safeguarding of good governance.

Also, the financial position of BSF has improved and daily activities for external elderly and handicapped have been initiated. A new building remains a necessity as the current building, owned by SHCF, is “dilapidated,” according to the IGZ. The Inspectorate stated that it would keep an eye on the improvements at The Home.

Some of the measures that the IGZ had imposed under increased supervisions included the introduction of treatment plans for clients, safety in the medication system, a structural activity policy for residents, training for the staff, the setting up of a multi-disciplinary consultation, establishing a policy regarding freedom restricting measures, the drafting and implementing of care protocols, adaptations to the building, establishing a solid quality policy and the implementing of a management structure that could guarantee quality.

The Daily Herald.