Today, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has published 24 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 24 inspections, inspectors found a generally good level of compliance with the regulations and standards in 15 centres operated by a number of providers including: Ability West; Attuned Programmes Ireland; Avista CLG; Brothers of Charity Services Ireland CLG; Cheeverstown House CLG; Delta Centre CLG; Enable Ireland Disability Services Limited; and the Health Service Executive (HSE).

Examples of good practice observed by inspectors included:

• At a centre in Galway operated by Ability West, residents had access to a variety of communal areas, including two sitting rooms, a dining room and sensory room. Two Internet enabled overhead projectors ensured that children and young adults availing of respite could view their preferred television programmes and YouTube videos. The walls in communal areas throughout the house had several large and colourful wall murals.
• A centre in Limerick, operated by the Brothers of Charity Services Ireland CLG encouraged residents to be involved in the recruitment of staff, with one resident completing training and then sitting on recruitment panels to support the hiring of new staff. Residents were also supported to volunteer and engage in paid employment. One resident had recently commenced employment as a groundskeeper and told the inspector that they were enjoying their new role. Furthermore, a job coach was supporting another resident to access employment.
• Residents were growing vegetables in a polytunnel at a centre in Tipperary operated by Avista CLG. Residents had developed an interest in gardening while previous public health restrictions were in place, and had subsequently been delighted to have received a gardening prize for their endeavours. The staff team supported the residents and the inspector saw how simple interventions made this a safe and pleasurable activity for residents such as the use of plastic bottles to cover supporting canes for plants to prevent the risk of injuries when stooping over to tend to the plants by residents.
   

Non-compliance that impacted on the delivery of care and support to residents was identified in nine other centres. 

Poor governance impacted upon residents at a centre operated by Communicare Agency Ltd. Poor management by the provider left residents at risk of harm, and further improvements were required in meeting residents’ healthcare needs and reducing the use of restrictive practices.

Poor governance was identified at six centres operated by Brothers of Charity Services Ireland CLG. In three centres, poor management of safeguarding incidents impacted on the quality of life for residents. While in the remaining three centres, improvements were required in staffing, residents’ personal plans and medications as well as to the premises.

At a centre operated by the HSE, improvements were required in staffing arrangements to support residents. 

Finally, residents’ personal support plans required improvement at a centre operated by Brindley Healthcare Services Limited.