Today, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has published 18 reports on designated centres for people with disabilities. 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 and respite services for people with disabilities in Ireland. 

Of the 18 reports published today, six centres were found to have a good level of compliance with the regulations and standards, including a centre operated by Dundas Ltd and two Camphill Communities of Ireland centres. However, non-compliance was found in 12 centres.

Reports have been published for four centres operated by the Brothers of Charity. Inspectors found evidence of good compliance with the regulations in three centres, with a number of improvements having been made since the previous inspection in one of these centres. While residents of a fourth centre told inspectors that they were happy living in their home, the overall governance and oversight of the centre required improvement to ensure residents’ needs, such as communication needs, were met. 

Inspectors found evidence of good overall management of the three Daughters of Charity centres and that the provider was ensuring that residents had a good quality of life and were provided with appropriate support and care. However, the provider was found to be in major non-compliance because they had failed to implement fire upgrade works to the premises. 

Three reports on centres operated by the Health Service Executive (HSE) have also been published. One centre had failed to notify HIQA of some incidents within the time frame as set out in the regulations. In another centre, located on a campus, inspectors found that while the provider had responded to safeguarding incidents, they had not fully implemented their own safeguarding processes. Governance and management arrangements of a third centre had failed to identify and address deficits found on inspection in regards to the review of personal plans, medication practices, fire precautions, staff training and staff files.

Following the identification of significant regulatory breaches during previous inspections of two Cheeverstown House centres, inspectors found that while improvements were being made, they were at an early stage of implementation and residents' experience and quality of life had yet to substantially improve. Some institutional practices continued to occur, and improvements were required to ensure the delivery of safe, consistent and effective care in accordance with residents’ needs. 

Inspectors were not assured that the COPE Foundation was ensuring effective governance, operational management and administration of a centre. This had resulted in negative outcomes for residents, such as poor oversight of restrictive practices, inadequate staffing arrangements, and poorly maintained premises in need of repair.

Inspection of a Cork Association for Autism centre found that the safety and quality of life for residents had been improved. However, the provider required significant support from the HSE and from another provider who was subcontracted to the centre to achieve this. 

A report of a centre operated by Clann Mór Residential and Respite Ltd found that while residents were satisfied with the service, improvements were required to risk management arrangements and overall governance and oversight in the centre.