The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has today published 19 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.

Five centres were found to have a good level of compliance with the requirements of the regulations and standards, including centres operated by the Brothers of Charity Services and the Health Service Executive (HSE).

Thirteen reports were published today for centres operated by the Brothers of Charity. A good standard of practice was found in three centres. However, eight reports found evidence of non-compliance. Inspectors identified non-compliance in the other centres in the areas of safeguarding, governance and management, health and safety, risk management, fire safety, management of medicines and social care needs.

Four of the reports published today relate to centres operated the HSE. Two centres were found to provide a service that, in general, meets residents’ needs. In one centre, inspectors identified significant and ongoing non-compliances concerning the care and safety of the residents, resulting in escalated regulatory action to ensure residents’ health and welfare was protected. In another centre, inspectors found that lack of staffing and resources were negatively impacting the residents’ quality of life.

Although a good level of compliance was found in a centre operated by ChildVision, the provider was required to take action in medicines management. Finally, in a centre operated by Camphill Communities of Ireland, inspectors found that improvements were needed in the management of residents’ finances to ensure they were safeguarded.