The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has today published 21 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. 

Inspections found a good level of compliance with the regulations and standards in 15 centres, including centres operated by RehabCare, Resilience Healthcare Limited, St Aidan’s Day Care Centre, The Cheshire Foundation in Ireland, and Western Care Association. In these centres, the provider was ensuring a good standard of care and quality of life to residents at the time of inspection. However, non-compliance with regulations and standards was found in six inspections.

A report on a centre operated by Redwood Extended Care Facility has been published. Inspectors found that, while the provider had policies and procedures in place in relation to safeguarding, not all residents were adequately protected. Improvements were required to admissions procedures as well as management structures and systems in order to address the occurrence of adverse incidents.

A report on a centre operated by St Hilda’s Services Limited has also been published. While the person in charge was experienced, the provider had inadequate arrangements to enable the person in charge to fulfil their legal obligations due to their duties outside of the centre. The monitoring and supervision of staff required improvement, and the healthcare needs of residents were not being adequately managed, promoted or maintained by the provider in accordance with regulations and standards. 

Reports on six centres operated by St John of God Community Services have been published. While three centres were meeting the needs of residents in line with the regulations and standards, non-compliance was identified in a further three centres in areas such as governance and management; premises; temporary absence, transition and discharge of residents; risk management procedures; fire precautions; and medicines and pharmaceutical services.

Also published this morning is a report on a centre operated by St Michael’s House. Inspectors found that there had been safeguarding issues in the centre which had not been appropriately managed. In addition, improvements were required in the areas of restrictive practices, risk management, fire precautions, and medication management.