Today, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has published 31 inspection reports on designated centres for people with disabilities. 

Inspection reports have been published on centres operated by: Ability West; Avista CLG; Carriglea Cáirde Services; Cheeverstown House CLG; Corlann; Dundas Unlimited Company; Embrace Community Services Ltd; GALRO Unlimited Company; Horizons; KARE, Promoting Inclusion for People with Intellectual Disabilities; Kerry Senior Care Ltd t/a T1 Healthcare; Kingsriver Community Holdings CLG; Lotus Care Limited; and MyLife by Estrela Hall Limited.

Inspectors found good practice in many of the centres inspected, including:

• At a centre in Louth operated by Dundas Unlimited Company, a resident described their home as ''a special place to live''. The resident said that they ''felt understood and treated equally''. The resident spoke about some of the activities they are involved in such as chair yoga and a community club, both of which they attended weekly. The resident said that they would be comfortable bringing issues to the staff team and told the inspector that they felt the provider looked after all their medical needs.
• Residents at a centre in Wicklow operated by KARE, Promoting Inclusion for People with Intellectual Disabilities, were supported by an assistive technology officer who made everyday appliances and supports more accessible to the residents. One resident had an adapted remote control for their hoist and staff described how the resident used their hoist throughout the day for a number of essential activities such as changing chairs or being positioned into their bean bag while in the garden. 

Some centres were required to make improvements to enable the best possible outcomes for residents. Providers of these centres submitted compliance plans outlining the changes they will make following the inspection. These included:
 

• Poor governance at a centre operated by Kingsriver Community Holdings CLG impacted the support available to residents. Following internal audits, the provider had not taken sufficient measures to address areas for improvement. During the inspection, concerns were raised by the inspector that the staff team had not recognised or reported all safeguarding concerns impacting residents. In response, the provider undertook to have all managers complete risk management training and for staff to receive continued safeguarding guidance and training.
• Improvements were required at three centres operated by the Avista CLG. In one centre, while good fire safety systems and practices were in place, an immediate action was issued in relation to fire doors. The issue was escalated by the provider on the day of inspection and remedial actions were taken. In another centre, residents' medicines were not administered and monitored in line with best practice. In response, the provider submitted a compliance plan detailing the steps being taken to address this issue.  
  
  Editor’s notes:
• 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.