Today, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has published 29 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 29 inspections, inspectors found a good level of compliance with the regulations and standards in 17 centres operated by a number of providers including; The Health Service Executive (HSE), Kerry Parents and Friends Association, Muiríosa Foundation, Nua Healthcare Services Limited, Praxis Care, RehabCare, Saint Patrick’s Centre Kilkenny, St Christopher’s Services Company Limited by Guarantee and St Hilda’s Services. 

Examples of good practice observed by inspectors included:

• At a centre in Sligo operated by the HSE, residents spoke about how they were supported to participate in activities they enjoyed both at home and in the community. Residents were also actively involved in the day-to-day running of the centre such as making decisions about weekly menus and undertaking household chores. 
• In one Laois centre operated by the Muiríosa Foundation, residents were very proud of their home and had personalised their bedrooms to show their passion for a football club or favourite movie star. Residents were also supported to actively use video conferencing systems to keep in touch with their family and friends.
• A resident at a centre operated by Nua Healthcare Services Limited in Laois had recently got a new puppy which they enjoyed caring for. Residents also took pride in showing the centre’s garden where they planted flowers and vegetables, with one resident telling inspectors about gardening and catering work experience they had done. 

Inspectors identified non-compliance with the regulations and standards on 12 inspections. 

HIQA has published seven inspection reports on centres operated by the HSE where non-compliance was recorded. In one HSE centre, an urgent action was issued to the provider due to non-compliance with fire precaution standards, which included containment and extinguishing of a fire. 

In other HSE centres, non-compliance was recorded across a number of regulations including; registration, governance and management issues, staffing, general welfare and development of residents, upkeep of the premises and fire precautions. 

One centre operated by Nua Healthcare Services Limited required improvement in areas such as staffing, governance, notifications, general welfare and development, food and nutrition, infection control, residents’ rights and protection.

At a centre operated by Saint Patrick’s Centre (Kilkenny), non-compliance was found in the area of healthcare. Fire precautions also required improvements at another centre operated by Saint Patrick’s Centre (Kilkenny), as well as a centre operated by KARE, Promoting Inclusion for People with Intellectual Disabilities.

Read all reports at the link below.