Information for residents and relatives

The Health Information and Quality Authority is responsible for the registration and inspection of all residential care services for older people, including HSE run centres and private and voluntary nursing homes.

All services are subject to the regulatory process and residents, relatives so the public know what to expect in a residential care setting, regardless of where this service is located or who delivers it.

Nursing homes are inspected against the National Quality Standards for Residential Care Settings for Older People in Ireland, and regulated under the Health Act 2007 to see if they are safe and whether the residents are cared for properly.

The standards were developed by the Authority in consultation with a wide variety of people. They place the resident at the centre of the process. The standards work on the basis that the centre is the person’s home.

Services are only allowed to operate if they are registered by the Authority and they are inspected regularly to ensure they maintain a high level of care.

We inspect residential services on an ongoing basis and re-register each centre every three years. The inspections are a mixture of both announced and unannounced visits, which could happen by day and also in the evenings, at weekends and at night.

The registration and inspection process is completely independent and reports are published after every inspection. These are available on our website (www.hiqa.ie).

These inspection reports provide information to the residents themselves, their families and the general public about the standards of care in individual centres.

More information is available

More information on the registration and inspection of nursing homes, as well as on the National Standards, is available by:

calling the advice line: 021 240 9660
emailing: inspections@hiqa.ie
writing to: Health Information and Quality Authority, Social Services Inspectorate, 1301 City Gate, Mahon, Cork

Relatives Panel

We want to hear what you have to say. You have the right to be heard so why not volunteer for our Relatives Panel?

Relatives panels consist of groups of relatives of people (past and present) in nursing homes coming together to provide feedback to us on how we can work together to further improve the safety and quality of these homes.

If this is something you would be interested in, we would like to hear from you. Contact us on 021 240 9660 or write to us at: Health Information and Quality Authority, Social Services Inspectorate, 1301 City Gate, Mahon, Cork or email: relativespanel@hiqa.ie

Standards

Find out more about the National Quality Standards for Residential Care Settings for Older People in Ireland.

The purpose of the standards is to promote best practice in residential care settings for older people and improve the quality of life of residents in these settings.

The quality standards clearly outline what is expected of a provider of services and what a resident, their family, a carer, or the public can expect to receive in residential care settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

For residents, their families and the public

Q 1. What is the inspection and registration of nursing homes about?

From 1 July 2009, the Social Services Inspectorate within the Health Information and Quality Authority are responsible for the registration and inspection of all public and private nursing homes and residential care services for older people. We register and inspect to see if nursing homes are safe and that residents are being cared for properly. For the first time, HSE-run centres, as well as, private and voluntary nursing homes are subject to independent registration and inspection.

Q 2. Do all nursing homes have to be registered?

Yes. By law, all nursing home services in the public, private and voluntary sectors have to be registered (to ensure they are able to provide such services in the first instance) and inspected (in order to ensure they are maintaining standards required to operate and are continuously upholding high standards) by the Social Services Inspectorate of the Health Information and Quality Authority.

Q 3. Why are you conducting inspections?

Inspections occur to check that residents in nursing homes are safe and are well looked after. Inspections also provide information to residents, their families, and the general public about the standards of care in individual nursing homes. The aim of inspection is to make sure that poor services are not allowed to operate, and to support those nursing homes that provide good, person-centred care.

Q 4. Are there standards of care that nursing homes and residential centres should comply with?

Yes. The Health Information and Quality Authority has developed specific standards for the operation of nursing homes and residential centres in consultation with those who use services and those who provide them. These are called the National Quality Standards for Residential Care Settings for Older People in Ireland, and they have been mandated by the Minister for Health and Children. We inspect against these standards and against regulations set by the Department of Health and Children.

Q 5. Who carries out the inspections?

Inspections are carried out by inspectors from the Social Services Inspectorate of the Health Information and Quality Authority. All inspectors are fully trained staff of the Authority and have a wide range of relevant professional experience.

Q 6. How are inspections carried out?

Inspections are announced or unannounced and can be held during the day or night. Inspectors talk with managers, staff and interested people and also talk with residents (residents who do not wish to speak to inspectors do not have to) and their families. Inspectors focus on the experience of the resident living in the nursing home and what it is like to live there. An inspection report is produced by the Authority after each inspection.

Q 7. Is the inspection process totally independent of the Health Service Executive and private nursing home operators?

Yes, inspectors report to the Chief Inspector of Social Services within the Health Information Quality Authority.

Q 8. What kind of information is contained in inspection reports?

Inspection reports give factual information and highlight where standards of care are well met, as well as where improvements are required. They are published on the Authority's website. Inspection reports give the residential care centre’s location, and outline the number of places there and general facilities. They also outline the findings of the inspection and comment on all areas of the service. Any necessary actions required on the part of the provider are clearly indicated in the report. The reports are fair and reflect all aspects of the service that is being provided. These inspection reports provide information to the residents themselves, their families and the general public about the standards of care in individual centres.

Q 9. Can I read your inspection reports?

Inspection reports are published on the Health Information and Quality Authority’s website, www.hiqa.ie. They are published shortly after each inspection.

Q 10. What actions can be taken if a nursing home is not meeting your standards or the regulations?

As outlined in the Health Act 2007 we have the power to seek legal enforcement of our recommendations and sanctions in the event of non-compliance. Actions which can be taken in the interests of the residents living in the nursing home include:

Requiring that changes to the service be made and then checking that these improvements are carried out changing the operating conditions of that centre (the number, type or category of resident they may accommodate).
Prosecuting for offences under the Health Act 2007, such as failing to comply with a condition of registration cancelling registration of a centre - so it will no longer be able to operate.

If inspectors come across a situation which poses an urgent risk to residents, which the owner is unwilling or unable to correct urgently, the Authority can take emergency action to address the situation. Every effort is made to ensure residents of nursing homes are not inconvenienced. However, if a nursing home does not comply with laws, arrangements may have to be made for residents to be moved to a different nursing home, which does comply with these laws and provides safe quality care.

About fees

Following a number of enquiries, residents of nursing homes and their relatives should note the following:

The Department of Health and Children set the annual fee, per bed, to be paid by nursing home providers to the Authority.
The annual fee as set out by Regulations made under the Health Act 2007 is €183 per bed.
This fee is payable directly to the Authority by the registered provider.
The payment of the fee is a matter between the nursing home providers and the Authority.
The Authority has not, and cannot, invoice individual residents in relation to this fee.
The fee is not due, or payable, by individual residents or families.
The Regulations require that residents are clearly communicated with in relation to the services they receive, this includes matters relating to charges.
Only fees set out in the contract can be charged by the registered provider. This contract must be agreed between the resident and the service provider within one month of admission to the nursing home.

If you have any questions directly related to the fees, please contact your registered provider or the Department of Health and Children 01 635 4000. If your query relates to any other issue about the inspection process you can contact our dedicated advice line 021 240 9660.