Today, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has published 26 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 26 inspections, inspectors found a good level of compliance with the regulations and standards in 15 centres operated by a number of providers including; Enable Ireland Disability Services Limited, Health Service Executive (HSE), Muiríosa Foundation, Nua Healthcare Services Limited, Peter Bradley Foundation CLG, and PraxisCare.

Examples of good practice observed by inspectors included:

At a centre in Westmeath operated by the HSE, residents were supported to have active and independent lives. Residents made decisions about their daily activities and routines, which included going out on their own to meet friends and attend personal appointments. 
Residents at a centre in Laois operated by the Muiríosa Foundation were involved in a range of activities reflective of their needs and interests, including online choir sessions, planning birthday celebrations and looking after the centre’s pet dog.

At a centre operated by the Peter Bradley Foundation CLG in Offaly, residents spoke about their satisfaction with the care and support they received. Residents were supported to develop their independence, with one resident preparing to transition to their own home, while another was supported to have paid employment at a nearby shop.

Inspectors identified non-compliance with the regulations and standards on 11 inspections.

A high level of non-compliance was identified at a centre operated by Kingsriver Community Holdings CLG. The provider was required to improve its governance and oversight in staffing, safeguarding and protection against infection in order to improve the quality of care and support for residents.

An immediate action was issued to the provider to ensure better measures to protect against infection at a centre operated by Resilience Healthcare Limited. Insufficient staffing and space for residents within the premises also required improvement, and not all incidents were being notified to HIQA, in accordance with the regulations.

An urgent action was issued to Praxis Care to ensure compliance with fire safety measures and required maintenance of the centre. In addition, better measures were required to protect against infection.

Three inspection reports have been published on centres operated by the HSE in Community Healthcare Organisation 1 (CHO1). At one centre, improvements were required to ensure residents were protected from the risk of infection. Further improvements were required to governance arrangements, including risk management and auditing, at two HSE centres within a campus-based setting.

At two centres operated by the Muiríosa Foundation, improvements were required in infection control arrangements.

Two inspection reports have been published on centres operated by Enable Ireland Disability Services Limited. At one centre, fire safety measures required improvement, while at another centre, non-compliance was identified in infection control.

Finally, better measures to protect against infection were required at a centre operated by GALRO Unlimited Company.

Read all reports at the link below.