Today, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has published 20 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 20 inspections, inspectors found a good level of compliance with the regulations and standards in 15 centres, including in centres operated by RehabCare; St Aidan's Day Care Centre; St Christopher's Services; St John of God Community Services; St Michael's House; Stewarts Care; The Cheshire Foundation in Ireland; and Western Care Association. 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:

• residents were supported to engage in interesting activities in their communities in two St John of God Community Services centres. In one centre, residents were excited and proud of their daily work in the local area, which was supported by staff. On the day of inspection, residents were preparing to go to work, the hairdresser, shopping and visiting a chocolate factory. In another centre, residents show inspectors their person-centred plans which included a range of social activities that they enjoyed.
• RehabCare had responded to a resident's changing needs by arranging additional reviews by medical specialists, general practitioners and allied health professionals to ensure their healthcare needs would continue to be met.
• the provider of a centre operated by St Christopher's Services was actively seeking the views of residents on the quality of their service. The provider had made an easy-to-read version of the complaints procedure available to residents, and visual aids were used to explain the process in a step-by-step approach. Inspectors saw evidence of the views of residents expressed through the complaints and compliments processes being responded to by the provider.  
• residents told inspectors that they were very happy with the service they received in a Cheshire Foundation in Ireland centre, in particular the support to go into the local town or nearby city and participate in activities they liked.

Inspectors identified non-compliance with the regulations and standards on five inspections.

In a St John of God Community Services centre based on a campus, residents' rights were not being protected as they could not access social activities at a time of their choice and could not access their own bank accounts. In two other centres operated by this provider, further measures were required to meet residents’ needs in areas such as premises and healthcare.

Inspectors found that operational and oversight arrangements were poor in a RehabCare centre. In this centre, staffing arrangements were inadequate to meet the changing care and support needs of the residents. In another RehabCare centre, the provider was required to put stronger safeguarding measures in place to keep residents safe.