Today, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has published 22 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 22 inspections, inspectors found a good level of compliance with the regulations and standards in 13 centres, including in centres operated by GALRO Unlimited Company; Health Service Executive; Muiríosa Foundation; Nua Healthcare Services Limited; and RehabCare. At the time of inspection, the provider was ensuring a good standard of support and care that met residents’ needs in these 13 centres. 
Examples of good practice observed by inspectors included:

• In a GALRO Unlimited Company centre, that provided residential care to seven children, a child who liked to draw with chalk had a wall painted with blackboard paint in their personal space. Tunnels and small spaces had been created within the room to support and meet the child’s sensory play needs.
• Residents in a Nua Healthcare Services centre talked to the inspector about their goals and the things they had to look forward to. They discussed cooking for themselves, travelling independently and taking part in activities that they enjoyed in their local community. These activities included, cooking and baking courses, going to the theatre and being in a musical society.

Inspectors found non-compliance in three HSE centres, including issues relating to governance and management, premises, and general welfare and development. Improvements were required to support residents to have more meaningful activities in their lives and premises issues identified in previous audits remained outstanding.  

An inspection of a Gheel Autism Services Company centre found that the provider needed to improve its monitoring of the quality and safety of care in the centre.

Two centres operated by RehabCare Services required improvements to strengthen risk management procedures. In one centre, some of the control measures to mitigate aspects of risk required review. In the other centre, governance systems did not ensure effective management and oversight so that residents received an individualised, safe and high-quality service. 

An inspection of a Praxis Care centre found improvements were required to the centre’s fire evacuation procedures.

In a Muiriosa Foundation centre, improvements were required in the area of safeguarding to ensure the result of ongoing incidents that impacted on residents’ wellbeing and safety were appropriately assessed, reviewed and responded to. 

An inspection of a National Association of Housing for Visually Impaired centre found that fire containment measures required further review and improvement. 

Read all reports at www.hiqa.ie.