Today, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has published a report on its review of the effectiveness of governance and safeguarding arrangements in registered residential centres for people with disabilities operated by Sunbeam House Services CLG.

Inspectors undertook a regulatory programme of 34 inspections across 28 centres operated by Sunbeam House Services CLG between January and August 2024.

As part of the programme, inspectors met with residents and family members, staff, senior management and the provider’s board of directors. Based on these 34 inspections, HIQA found the provider overall to be non-compliant across five regulations assessed. Inspections of 11 centres found that residents were being supported to have a good quality of life.

However, non-compliance which posed a significant risk to residents’ safety, wellbeing and overall quality of life was found on 23 of the 34 inspections. Poor governance impacted on the care provided to residents due to restrictive practices, poor management of safeguarding incidents, staffing arrangements, and poor behavioural support for residents. Since 2022 due to ongoing non-compliance, the Chief Inspector issued notices of proposed decision to cancel the registration of six centres, two of which were then issued with notices of decision to cancel registration. The Health Service Executive (HSE) has taken over the operation of one of those centres under the Health Act 2007. 

HIQA’s Interim Deputy Chief Inspector Ciara McShane said, “Our goal in HIQA is to ensure people are receiving safe care and support. Our inspections of Sunbeam House Services CLG centres found inappropriate restrictive practices, residents saying they were upset and did not feel safe in their homes and that residents’ needs were not at all times appropriately assessed or met. The provider had not protected residents from safeguarding incidents and residents’ rights were not at all times upheld due to inappropriate restrictive practices which in some cases, were implemented without any clear rationale.”
“Speaking with residents and hearing about their lives was a crucial aspect of this programme. Residents told us that unfamiliar and inconsistent staffing arrangements had impacted their continuity of care and an opportunity to build trust with staff. Some residents said they felt unsafe and wanted to move out of their homes. Overall, Sunbeam House Services CLG had not put effective governance and management systems in place to protect residents from the risk of abuse and to ensure their needs were appropriately met.” 

HIQA’s Chief Inspector of Social Services required the provider to submit a compliance improvement plan on how it intends to strengthen their oversight of centres, and ensure that residents are safe and in receipt of care and support that is appropriate to their needs. The provider’s compliance improvement plan is published today as part of this report by HIQA. 
Ciara McShane continued: “All services should deliver safe, effective and appropriate care and support for residents. The Chief Inspector will continue to use its regulatory powers and processes proportionately and fairly to ensure that residents are safeguarded and afforded good quality of life.” 

Read the full report from the link at the top of the page.

Ends.

Further information:

Marty Whelan, Head of Communications & Stakeholder Engagement
085 805 5202, mwhelan@hiqa.ie

Notes to the editor:

• Sunbeam House Services CLG (referred to in this report as ‘the provider’) is a voluntary organisation, registered as a charity with the Revenue Commissioners, providing a wide range of services to adults with intellectual disabilities including residential and respite services, and day services. Sunbeam House Services is constituted as a company limited by guarantee, and is also a registered housing association. Sunbeam House Services CLG is funded by the Health Service Executive (HSE), the Department of Education and voluntary donations. Up to 14 August 2024, the provider operated 29 designated centres.
• This overview report incorporates the findings from 34 inspections carried out in 2024 of 28 centres operated by Sunbeam House Services CLG; 20 inspections were carried out from 4 January to 26 July, 13 inspections from 30 July to 8 August (as part of this regulatory escalation programme), and one unannounced inspection on 14 August. The provider was assessed under five regulations; individualised assessment and personal plan; positive behavioural support; protection; staffing; governance and management.
• Between January 2022 and July 2024, the provider was required to attend five cautionary meetings with the Chief Inspector, and in response to immediate risks found during inspections, the provider was issued with a requirement to undertake eight urgent actions. Additionally, the provider was required to submit written assurance reports on matters related to risk in their centres on 27 occasions. 
• Since 2022, six centres operated by Sunbeam House Services CLG were issued with notices of proposed decision to cancel their registration due to significant risks to residents and the provider’s failure to comply with the regulations. Two of these progressed to notices of decision to cancel the registration of the centres, which is the final decision of the Chief Inspector. The Health Service Executive (HSE) has taken over the operation of one of those centres under the Health Act 2007. 
• Between January 2022 and July 2024, across all designated centres operated by the provider, 482 safeguarding notifications were submitted to the Chief Inspector. Of these, 375 notifications were received from 10 specific designated centres. These related primarily to the provider’s failure to manage peer-to-peer incompatibility and conflict and its impact on the safety and welfare of residents. 
• The Chief Inspector also received concerns from members of the public through HIQA’s Concerns Helpdesk, including information about the safeguarding arrangements for residents in centres operated by Sunbeam House Services CLG.