Today, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has published 19 inspection 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 services for people with disabilities in Ireland. 

Of these 19 inspections, inspectors found a good level of compliance with the regulations and standards in 15 centres, including in centres operated by Ability West; Autism Initiatives Ireland; Brothers of Charity Services Ireland; COPE Foundation; Daughters of Charity Disability Support Services; Enable Ireland Disability Services; GALRO Unlimited; Muiríosa Foundation and North West Parents and Friends Association for Persons with Intellectual Disability. At the time of inspection, the provider was ensuring a good standard of support and care that met residents’ needs in these 15 centres. 

Examples of good practice observed by inspectors included:

In a COPE Foundation centre, residents who communicated nonverbally, showed the inspector photographs of activities they had chosen to engage in. Activities included painting, art, baking, beauty therapy, walks in the community, gardening and eating out in restaurants. Photographs and records of these activities were compiled in a log for each individual resident.
An Enable Ireland Disability Services respite centre had reduced the size of groups attending respite and extended respite stays to two weeks, in order to ensure that residents could continue to avail of respite and to prevent and manage the risks associated with COVID-19.

A Muiríosa Foundation centre strived for excellence through shared learning and reflective practices. The person in charge attended meetings with senior management and other persons in charge from the same organisation on a monthly basis. The inspector could see how the persons in charge were sharing their learning from these meetings in order to ensure ongoing improvements in the quality of service was being delivered to residents. 
Inspectors identified non-compliance with the regulations and standards on four inspections. 

An inspection of a centre operated by GALRO Unlimited found good levels of care and support in the centre. However, safeguarding improvements were required given a significant increase in behavioural incidents that were adversely impacting on the residents. 

An inspection of a Brothers of Charity Services centre was carried out to follow up on a notice of proposal to cancel the registration of the centre, due to concerns regarding the management and resourcing of this centre. This inspection found that a number of areas had significantly improved since the previous inspection. Further improvements were required in the areas of residents’ rights, assessment and end-of-life care planning.

Inspectors found non-compliance with individual assessment and personal plans and positive behavioural support in a centre operated by Carriaglea Cáirde Services. Not all staff were trained in the management of behaviour that is challenging which was found to be a requirement in this centre.

An inspection of a centre operated by the Daughters of Charity Disability Support Services found that practice improvements were required regarding residents’ consultations, rights, privacy and dignity. 

Read all reports at www.hiqa.ie.