Today, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has published 29 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 29 reports published today, 22 centres were found to have a good level of compliance with the regulations and standards, including centres operated by Ability West, Health Service Executive (HSE), Little Angels Association Letterkenny, Kerry Parents and Friends Association, Stepping Stones Residential Care and Sunbeam House Services. Non-compliance with the regulations and standards was found in seven centres.

Reports on nine centres operated by Brothers of Charity Services have been published. While five centres were found to provide a good standard of care, non-compliance was identified in four centres. Staffing arrangements were insufficient to ensure that residents were appropriately supervised and had access to social activities in two centres. Governance systems and the remit of the person in charge required review in one centre to ensure the quality and safety of the service provided to residents could be consistently maintained. In another centre, some fire safety improvements were required.

While a person-centred service was offered and good practice was demonstrated in a centre operated by MooreHaven Centre (Tipperary), significant improvements were required to risk management, healthcare and safe medication practices.

Inspections carried out in three RehabCare centres found that two centres were meeting the requirements of the regulations and standards. In the third centre, the provider had failed to adequately address areas of non-compliance identified during previous inspections. This was resulting in poor outcomes for residents.

Reports on two Western Care Association centres have also been published. While a good standard of care was being delivered to meet residents’ needs in both centres, governance and oversight arrangements failed to ensure that residents were safe at all times in one of the centres.

Reports on all four St Michael’s House centres published today found compliance with the regulations and standards. However, the provider was required to improve fire precautions in three of the centres.

An inspection of a Daughters of Charity service found inadequate arrangements were in place for containing a fire and to ensure that residents could be safely evacuated in the event of a fire.