The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has today published 24 reports on residential services 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 in Ireland.

Inspectors found a good level of compliance with the requirements of the regulations and standards in 15 centres, including two centres operated by Delta Centre Ltd, and one centre each operated by Dundas Ltd and Gateway Community Care Limited.

Four reports relate to centres operated by COPE Foundation. Two centres were found to be providing services to a good level of compliance. Two reports have been published for another centre operated by this provider. Following the second inspection of this centre, HIQA required the provider to attend a meeting on 16 February 2017 to discuss ongoing concerns regarding the negative impact on some residents' lives in relation to their living arrangements. The provider was requested to submit a robust and time-bound response outlining how the provider intended to address the issue.  

Inspections in six Daughters of Charity Disability Support Services centres have also been published. While inspectors found that two centres were operating in compliance with the regulations and standards, another four centres were failing to meet residents’ needs. Two centres had an insufficient number of staff which was negatively impacting on the provision of social care to residents. Social care was also an issue in single-issue inspections of another two centres operated by Daughters of Charity. Inappropriate placement of residents in these centres meant that residents’ emotional, social and developmental needs were not being appropriately met. 

Three reports have been published for centres operated by Nua Healthcare. The safeguarding and safety of residents was judged to be non-compliant in all three centres. Poor management of residents’ behaviours and safeguarding concerns did not ensure residents were safe from harm at all time. Following poor findings in a number of other centres operated by this provider, the provider was required to submit a governance plan to HIQA and inspectors are undertaking an escalated regulatory programme to verify that the actions are effective in bringing about improvements for the safety and wellbeing of residents in all of their centres.   

Two inspections were carried out in centres provided by Muiríosa Foundation. A follow-up inspection carried out in one centre found full compliance with the regulations and standards. However in another centre, inspectors found fire safety and infection prevention was inadequate to effectively manage risk. 

An inspection in a centre operated by Peamount Healthcare found that while the provider had addressed a number of non-compliances identified on the previous inspection, residents’ privacy, dignity and social care needs continued to not be met.

One report relates to a Stewarts Care Limited centre. Inspectors found significant levels of non-compliance in the governance, safeguarding of residents and risk management arrangements at the centre.

A report on a Praxis Care centre found that the inadequate arrangements for managing the use of restrictive practices continued to negatively impact on residents’ rights and freedom of movement.

An inspection report published on one centre run by the Peter Bradley Foundation Limited was carried out to monitor the centre's ongoing regulatory compliance. The inspection found non-compliance in the areas of fire safety and safeguarding..

A report for a centre operated by Kerry Parents and Friends Association has also been published. Due to inadequate fire containment and infection prevention measures, inspectors judged Health and Safety and Risk Management to be majorly non-compliant.