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 all 20 inspections, including in centres operated by Ability West, Autism Initiatives Ireland, Brothers of Charity Services Ireland, Camphill Communities of Ireland, the COPE Foundation, Daughters of Charity Disability Support Services, Dundas, and Enable Ireland Disability Services. In these centres, the provider was ensuring a good standard of support and care at the time of inspection. 

Reports on two centres operated by Ability West have been published. In one centre, inspectors found that residents received a good-quality service that promoted consistency of care and community inclusion. An inspection of another Ability West centre found that residents were provided with a good quality of life and were supported by staff to participate in activities of their choice. 

An inspection of a centre operated by Autism Initiatives Ireland found that arrangements were in place to ensure the quality and safety of care and support for residents who availed of respite care in the centre. An inspection of a centre operated by Camphill Communities of Ireland found that the standard of management and monitoring of care and support had substantially improved across a number of areas. A COPE Foundation centre was found to be providing a good service; throughout the inspection the provider demonstrated its capacity and capability to deliver a safe, effective and quality service to residents.

An inspection of a centre operated by Dundas found a high level of compliance; inspectors found that the governance and management of the centre led to positive outcomes for residents’ quality of life. An Enable Ireland Disability Services centre was appropriately supporting residents while they availed of respite services; this was supported by the structures and systems that were in place to monitor safety and quality. 

Also published this morning are 10 reports on centres operated by Brothers of Charity Services Ireland. In one centre, inspectors found that the provider’s governance and management arrangements ensured that residents were supported to develop greater independence and received a good-quality service. In another Brothers of Charity centre, inspectors found that residents’ quality of life and the overall safety of care was prioritised and managed in a person-centred way. An inspection of another Brothers of Charity centre found that the quality and safety of the service was of a high standard and residents were supported to enjoy a good quality of life.

Inspections of three centres operated by Daughters of Charity Disability Support Services found that all three centres had clear governance and management structures in place and residents had a good quality of life in each of those centres.