The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has published 50 inspection reports on residential centres for older people. The Chief Inspector of Social Services has statutory responsibility for independently regulating designated centres for older people for compliance with the regulations under the Health Act 2007, to ensure that the people living in these services are safe and well cared for.

Of the 50 reports published, inspectors found evidence of good practice and compliance with the regulations and standards in a number of inspections. Twenty-eight centres were either fully compliant or substantially compliant with the regulations. In general, these centres were found to be meeting residents’ needs and delivering care in line with the national standards and regulations.

Levels of non-compliance varied in the remaining inspection reports, with 15 centres non-compliant with three regulations or less, and seven centres non-compliant with four or more regulations. On these inspections, non-compliance was identified in areas including: staffing, training and staff development, records, governance and management, premises, food and nutrition, individual assessment and care plan, risk management, fire precautions, and residents' rights.
Where non-compliance with the regulations was identified, providers were required to submit compliance plans to demonstrate how they will make improvements and come into compliance with the regulations.

A full list of reports published today accompanies this statement.

Notes

The Health Act 2007 (as amended) sets out the responsibilities of HIQA’s Chief Inspector in relation to registration, monitoring and inspections of nursing homes. This includes assessing the provider’s compliance with the regulations and standards.

Inspections of nursing homes undertaken by inspectors involve observing practice directly, engaging with staff and with those receiving services, and following up on any information received about a service. They also assess that safety checks and measures, such as policies and records, are in place. Inspection reports published by HIQA detail the findings of inspectors during the period of time that they are present at a centre, carrying out their inspection.

The Chief Inspector of Social Services can also carry out thematic inspection programmes against the relevant national standards, to assess compliance in specific, key areas of care. The purpose of these focused inspections is to drive quality improvement. Inspections assessing compliance with the regulations under the Health Act 2007 are broader in scope, monitoring and ensuring legal compliance with a range of key regulations.