The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has today published 22 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. 

Nine centres were found to have a good level of compliance with the requirements of the regulations and standards, including centres operated by ChildVision, CoAction West Cork CLG and Enable Ireland Disability Services Limited. However, HIQA found areas of non-compliance in 13 centres.

Reports on nine centres run by Brothers of Charity Services have been published. While inspectors found compliance with the regulations in three centres, evidence of non-compliance was found in six centres. One of these centres was found to be inadequately meeting a resident’s nursing care needs; however this was adequately addressed following the inspection. The provider had failed to complete the required fire safety works in another centre due to a lack of resources. In a third centre, the provider did not demonstrate effective oversight of safe medicines management practices. Inspections in a further three Brothers of Charity centres found that while action plan responses to previous HIQA inspections had not yet been fully implemented, progress on these actions was having a positive impact on the quality of care residents received.  

An inspection was carried out in a Camphill Communities of Ireland centre after HIQA received unsolicited information in relation to medicines management and staffing arrangements. HIQA found that the concerns were substantiated and the provider was required to take improvement actions.  

Reports on five centres run by COPE Foundation have also been published. One centre was found to be operating in compliance with the regulations. Inspectors found that the provider was not taking adequate measures to manage risk to residents’ safety and quality of life in the other four centres in areas such as fire safety, lack of resources, premises and residents’ contracts of care.

Two reports have been published for centres operated by Ability West. While both inspections found a good level of compliance with the regulations, some improvements were required to safeguarding practices in one centre. 

While an inspection of one Cheeverstown House Limited centre was found to be compliant with the regulations and standards, the provider was not providing adequate social care, medicines management, governance and management, or workforce in a second centre.