The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has today published 28 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 22 inspections, including in centres operated by BEAM Housing Association, Boherduff Adult Services, Brothers of Charity Services Ireland, Camphill Communities of Ireland, Clann Mór, Co Wexford Community Workshop, CoAction West Cork, the COPE Foundation, Daughters of Charity Disability Support Services, and Gheel Autism Services. 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 six inspections.

Inspections of nine centres operated by Brothers of Charity Services Ireland found that eight centres were meeting the needs of residents in line with regulations and standards. Non-compliance was identified in one centre. In this centre, inspectors found that peer-to-peer incidents were impacting on the quality and safety of the service and, furthermore, the provider’s actions in relation to this were not sufficient to effect change in the centre. Improvements were also required in the areas of fire precautions and positive behavioural support.

An inspection of a centre operated by Co Wexford Community Workshop found that a number of improvements were required to ensure compliance with the regulations and standards. Non-compliance was identified in the areas of governance and management; training and staff development; fire precautions; health care; and positive behavioural support.

Also published this morning are reports on five centres operated by the COPE Foundation. While four centres were meeting the needs of residents in line with the regulations and standards, non-compliance was identified in one centre. The inspection of this centre identified serious concerns regarding the centre’s staffing arrangements and healthcare management. Further non-compliance was identified in areas including training and staff development; governance and management; general welfare and development; premises; fire precautions; individual assessment and personal plan; and health care.

Inspections of six centres operated by Daughters of Charity Disability Support Services found three centres to be meeting the needs of residents in line with the regulations and standards, with non-compliance identified in three other centres. In one centre, inspectors found that adequate arrangements were not in place to meet the assessed needs of some residents. In another centre, governance and management structures were not adequately ensuring the effective oversight of the quality and safety of the service. In addition, significant concerns were identified in the centre’s fire precautions, medication management, safeguarding, and risk management. Another Daughters of Charity centre required improvement in its governance and management, and significant improvement was required in relation to the maintenance and refurbishment of the centre. 

All reports and compliance plans are available on www.hiqa.ie.