Today, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has published 26 inspection reports on designated centres for people with disabilities. HIQA inspects against the Health Act 2007 (Care and Support of Residents in Designated Centres for Persons (Children and Adults with Disabilities) Regulations 2013 and the National Standards for Residential Services for Children and Adults with Disabilities, which apply to residential services for people with disabilities in Ireland. 

Of these 26 inspections, inspectors found a good level of compliance with the regulations and standards in 10 centres operated by a number of providers including; Avista CLG, Brothers of Charity Services Ireland CLG, Clann Mór Residential and Respite Company Limited by Guarantee and Dundas Unlimited Company.

Examples of good practice observed by inspectors included:

• At a centre operated at Avista CLG, residents were involved in food choices and in the purchasing of food locally. The inspector observed one resident who was very excited to be going for an outdoor picnic with drinks and food prepared in the kitchen.
• The residents were very welcoming and they were very proud of their homes at a centre operated by Brothers of Charity Services Ireland CLG. One resident said they would be 'lost without the staff' and were very happy with their apartment, and loved having staff near if they needed them.
• At a centre operated by Dundas Unlimited Company, residents were included in and participated in their local community. For example, some were involved in the local Tidy Towns project and spent their weekends enhancing their local environment and community as part of this initiative.

Inspectors identified non-compliance with the regulations and standards on 16 inspections. 

An inspection of a centre operated by the COPE Foundation found that the provider had not ensured effective oversight and governance of the centres, and had failed to respond effectively and appropriately. A second centre run by this provider required improvements to infection control arrangements protection to provide a safe environment for residents.

At a centre operated by Avista CLG, improvements were required in relation to the monitoring and oversight of care and support provided to ensure that residents were safe and in receipt of a good quality service. Another centre operated by the same provider had two non-compliances relating to the consistency of staffing arrangements and the centre’s premises. In two further centres, improvements were also required to premises, with the design of the bathroom in one centre not meeting residents’ assessed needs. 

 

At a centre operated by Cheeverstown House CLG, improvements continued to be required in staffing arrangements, complaints management and fire safety. In a second centre, improvements were required to ensure the effectiveness of infection control arrangements.  

An inspection of a centre operated by Camphill Communities of Ireland found that infection prevention and control arrangements were not subject to regular review and suspected cases of COVID-19 had not been notified to the Chief Inspector.

A centre operated by Delta Centre Company Limited by Guarantee was not adequately resourced to ensure the effective delivery of safe care and support to all residents.

At a centre operated by An Breacadh Nua, the inspector observed that improvements were required to ensure the effectiveness of fire containment arrangements, as two fire doors in the centre were not fully closing on the day of inspection.

Non-compliance was observed in five centres operated by Brothers of Charity Services Ireland CLG. These included poor oversight of restrictive practices, failing to meet residents’ assessed needs, updated staff training and risk management. 

Read all reports at the link below.