Today, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has published 25 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 25 inspections, inspectors found a good level of compliance with the regulations and standards in 20 centres, including in centres operated by Peter Bradley Foundation; Praxis care; RehabCare; S O S Kilkenny; St Aidan’s Day Care Centre; St Catherine’s Association; St Christopher’s Services; St John of God Community Services; St Michael’s House; Sunbeam House Services; Walkinstown Association For People With An Intellectual Disability; 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 20 centres.

Examples of good practice observed by inspectors included:

• residents in a Peter Bradley Foundation centre were provided with opportunities to participate in activities in accordance with their interests, capacities and individual goals. Residents were encouraged to participate in learning and education providing the residents opportunities to attend different courses.
• in a centre operated by Praxis Care, children's representatives told inspectors that they were consulted with and involved in relation to decisions relating to care and support. They were particularly complimentary towards the staff team and how open and honest and person-centred they were.
• staff in a Western Care Association knew the preferred communication styles of each resident very well and spoke of the various sensory interventions used within the centre to further support residents' communication needs. For example, the recent introduction of different daily scents in a hallway diffuser was supporting residents to identify what day of the week it was.

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

An inspection of a RehabCare centre found that ineffective systems were in place for the oversight and management of residents’ finances and safeguarding concerns.

Two centres operated by Saint Patrick’s Centre (Kilkenny) required improvements to strengthen governance and management and to ensure staff received relevant training to meet residents’ needs.

Inspectors identified areas of non-compliance with the regulations in two St John of God Community Services centres. Due to the changing needs of residents in one centre, further work was required to ensure care plans were up to date and that the premises could meet residents’ needs. A follow-up inspection of another centre operated by this provider found persistent non-compliances in areas such as arrangements to protect residents from safeguarding risks, safety, residents’ rights and welfare, and these issues were impacting on residents.   

Read all reports at www.hiqa.ie.