The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has today 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 and respite services for people with disabilities in Ireland. 

Inspectors found a good level of compliance with the regulations and standards in 17 inspections, including in centres operated by the HSE, G.A.L.R.O., Gateway Community Care, L’Arche Ireland, the Muiríosa Foundation, Nua Healthcare Services, Offaly Centre for Independent Living, the Peter Bradley Foundation, and St Aidan’s Day Care Centre. In these centres, the provider was ensuring a good standard of support and care at the time of inspection. Non-compliance with the regulations and standards was found on three inspections.

Inspections of seven centres operated by the HSE found that four centres were meeting the needs of residents in line with the regulations and standards. An inspection of one centre found that the governance and management systems in place did not promote the delivery of a high-quality and safe service. Improvements were also required to the premises, risk management procedures, and individual assessments and personal plans. In another HSE centre, non-compliance was identified in areas including governance and management, and medicines and pharmaceutical services.

In another centre operated by the HSE, inspectors found that the service was not well governed and managed and that, as a result, there was a negative impact on the quality and safety of care being provided to residents. Inspectors found that there was insufficient monitoring of the quality and safety of care and support, the premises were poorly maintained, and that residents’ social care needs were not being met. Further non-compliance was found in areas including staffing; complaints procedure; communication; general welfare and development; risk management procedures; protection against infection; fire precautions; medicines and pharmaceutical services; individual assessment and personal plan; healthcare; and residents’ rights.