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National Quality Standards: Residential Services for People with Disabilities


Front cover of the National Quality Standards: Residential Services for People with Disabilities

The Health Information and Quality Authority is the independent Authority responsible for driving continuous improvements in Ireland’s health and social care services. The Authority has published National Quality Standards: Residential Services for People with Disabilities. These set out what a quality, safe service for people with disabilities in a residential service should be.

These standards have been developed following extensive consultation with representatives of those who use the service, their families and advocates and support groups, together with those who provide and deliver the service. They have been created to promote good, safe practice in all residential services provided by the Health Service Executive (HSE), private organisations and voluntary bodies. The Authority would like to thank all those who participated in the consultation process.

The National Quality Standards: Residential Services for People with Disabilities are grouped under seven headings which address quality of life, staffing, protection, development and health, rights, the physical environment and governance and management. Taken together, they set out what a good quality service for people with disabilities should be. This is an important and significant milestone for the protection of the rights of people with disabilities in residential care settings in Ireland. These standards will support service providers in providing the highest quality of care and will clearly outline what is expected of a provider of such services.


The standards are available in various formats to download:

For a copy of the standards in Braille format, please contact standards@hiqa.ie.