Today, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has published 21 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 Resilience Healthcare Limited, Cheshire Foundation in Ireland and Western Care Association. However, HIQA found areas of non-compliance in 17 centres.

Five reports on centres operated by Sunbeam House Services have been published today. In one centre, Inspectors found that there was inadequate oversight of risk management arrangements. In the other three centres, inspectors identified areas of non-compliance with the regulations regarding safeguarding and the use of restrictive practices and interventions. Significant issues were also found in areas such as workforce, social care needs and residents’ contract of care. Due to inadequate managerial oversight of the services and the subsequent level of risk to residents’ safety, one centre was issued with a notice of proposal to cancel the centre’s registration. In accordance with the Health Act 2007, the provider has submitted representation in response to this notice, and a further inspection will be carried out to determine whether there have been improvements for residents before a final decision is made in relation to the registration of this centre. 

Inspectors found that the provider was failing to provide residents with an acceptable standard of care and was found to be in major breach of the regulations in two centres on a campus run by Stewarts Care Limited. In one centre, an immediate action was issued to the provider in relation to meeting residents’ healthcare needs. In the other centre, inspectors identified such significant concerns that a decision was made during the inspection to focus solely on risk management and safety of residents. Inspectors found that institutional staff practices and poorly managed restrictive practices were impacting on residents’ rights, wellbeing and safety. 

Four centres operated by St John of God Community Services were found to have areas of non-compliance. In two of these centres, HIQA has taken escalated regulatory action initiating a six month regulatory plan to ensure the provider improves the quality and safety of care provided to residents.   

Reports on two centres operated by the Daughters of Charity have also been published today. One centre was found to be providing a service that was compliant with the standards and regulations. In the other centre, the provider was required to address areas of significant concern, including fire safety and suitable premises to meet the residents’ needs.

In a report published for a centre operated by St Michael’s House, inspectors found that staffing levels did not ensure residents’ needs were being met. In another St Michael’s House centre, improvements were required to records relating to residents’ assessed support needs. 

In a centre operated by St. Joseph’s Foundation, inspectors found significant failings in the management of complaints and the provider was not ensuring residents were supported to participate in the running of the centre. In another centre, improvements were required to ensure that residents' communication needs had been appropriately assessed.