Today, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has published 30 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 30 inspections, inspectors found a good level of compliance with the regulations and standards in 11 centres operated by a number of providers including; Prosper Fingal CLG, RehabCare, St John of God Community Services CLG, St Joseph's Foundation, St Michael's House. 

Examples of good practice observed by inspectors included:

• At a centre operated by the Prosper Fingal CLG, residents’ rights were actively promoted. For example, one resident wanted to change to a closer day service. Staff supported this choice through ''sampling days'' in other day services. With the location of the new service allowing the resident to develop skills to enable them work towards using public transport independently.
• Residents in a centre in Louth operated by St John of God Community Services CLG were actively supported through monthly meeting with staff to achieve their personal goals. Residents accessed a diverse range of activities while respecting public health restrictions, and were supported to development new skills, with one resident being actively involved in the house’s garden project.
• Residents at a centre in Dublin operated by St Michael's House spoke about how they enjoyed learning new skills, doing educational programmes and being independent, as well as enjoying that the centre was close to where they grew up and family members, and they regular met people they knew. 

Inspectors identified non-compliance with the regulations and standards on 19 inspections.

HIQA has published 10 inspection reports on centres operated by St Michael's House where non-compliance was identified. In four of these centres, improvements were required in areas such as; governance and management, protection, staffing, fire precautions, positive behavioural support, and medicines and pharmaceutical services. Due to the continued non-compliance with the regulations at one centre, St Michael’s House was required to attend a warning meeting.

In the other six inspection reports on centres operated by St Michael's House non-compliance was identified in admissions and contract for the provision of services, medicines and pharmaceutical services, fire precautions, positive behavioural support, governance and management.

In four centres operated by St John of God Community Services CLG, non-compliance was found in areas such as; persons in charge,  individual assessment and personal plan, protection and residents’ rights, governance and management, risk management procedures, protection against infection and premises. Due to the potential risk of infection at one centre, an urgent compliance plan was issued. 

Areas of non-compliance were identified at three centres operated by Saint Patrick's Centre (Kilkenny) in areas such as written policies and procedures, personal possessions, governance and management and fire precautions.

Non-compliance was identified at two centres operated by S O S Kilkenny CLG. With improvements required in areas such as governance and management, notification of incidents, written policies and procedures, training and staff development, general welfare and development, premises, risk management procedures, protection against infection, fire precautions and positive behavioural support.

Read all reports at the link below