The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has published 38 inspection reports on residential centres for older people. Inspections were carried out between September 2021 and January 2022. The Chief Inspector has statutory responsibility for independently regulating designated centres for older people for compliance with the Health Act (2007) Regulations and the National Standards for Residential Care Settings for Older People in Ireland (2016), to ensure that the people living in these services are safe and well cared for.

Of the 38 reports published, inspectors found evidence of good practice and compliance with the regulations and standards in a number of inspections. HIQA found that 12 centres were either fully compliant or substantially compliant with the national standards and regulations. In general, these centres were found to be meeting residents’ needs and delivering care in line with the national standards and regulations. 

Levels of non-compliance varied in the remaining inspection reports, with seven centres found to be non-compliant with one regulation, eight centres non-compliant with two regulations, and 11 centres non-compliant with three or more regulations. On these inspections, areas of non-compliance were identified in areas including; premises, infection control, fire precautions, governance and management, residents' rights, training and staff development, complaints procedure, risk management, individual assessment and care plan, medicines and pharmaceutical services, staffing, notification of incidents, records, persons in charge, and managing behaviour that is challenging.

Where non-compliance with the regulations was identified, providers were required to submit compliance plans to demonstrate how they will make improvements and come into compliance with the regulations. Submitted compliance plans are included in the published reports.  

A full list of reports published today accompanies this statement. 

Reports and compliance plans can be found at the link below.