Today, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has published 32 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 32 inspections, inspectors found a generally good level of compliance with the regulations and standards in 12 centres operated by a number of providers including; Ability West; Avista CLG; Brothers of Charity Services Ireland CLG; GALRO Unlimited Company and the Health Service Executive. 

Examples of good practice observed by inspectors included:

At a centre in Meath operated by the HSE, residents were supported to make choices about the care and support they received. Residents were involved in weekly house meetings and key worker meetings and spoke about how they made choices about what they wanted to do. Residents had been supported to personalise and decorate their own bedrooms and the centre’s garden had been adapted to improve access and further support residents’ needs. 

At a centre in Galway operated by Brothers of Charity Services Ireland, residents were supported to achieve their personal goals, with one resident telling the inspector about a recent holiday to Spain they had planned and enjoyed. Residents were also supported to keep in touch with their families, with one resident speaking about a recent family celebration they had attended and with residents having access to either their own mobile phones or personal computer tablets to stay in touch with family.

At a centre in Limerick operated by Avista CLG, residents spoke about how important their independence was to them. They told the inspector about how they made choices, their jobs and their confidence that staff would listen to and address any concerns they had. Residents also spoke about activities they enjoyed at the centre including summer garden parties and birthday celebrations. 

Inspectors identified non-compliance with the regulations and standards on 20 inspections.

Non-compliance was found in four centres operated by Avista CLG. Two of the centres had been previously issued with notices to cancel their registration because of the negative impact of non-compliance on residents’ quality of life. In both centres, inspectors found that the provider had made improvements in areas such as the physical environment and staffing support for residents. However, further improvements were required in areas such as safeguarding, staffing and the management of complaints. Inspectors will continue to monitor these centres to ensure that the provider continues with their actions to provide residents with a quality of service that they are entitled to.

Non-compliance was identified in two centres operated by the Brothers of Charity Services Ireland. In one centre, improved infection control arrangements were required. In the other centre, improvements were required to the condition of the premises, which was observed to be unclean, with clutter and food leftovers visible throughout the centre.

In two Co Action West Cork centres, governance and management arrangements did not ensure that care and support provided to residents was consistent and effectively monitored. 

In one Ability West centre, the provider had not ensured it was resourced appropriately for the effective delivery of care and support to residents. Furthermore, the provider’s arrangements to manage emergencies at the centre required further improvement. 

Two centres operated by the Health Service Executive required improvements. In one centre, the premises was not suited to residents’ needs. While in the other centre, improvements to staffing and residents’ general welfare and development was required.

In a Clann Mór Residential and Respite Company Limited centre, non-compliances were identified in areas such as governance and management, admissions and contract for the provision of services, personal possessions, risk management procedures and protection against infection.

Inspectors observed a number of institutional practices in a Carriglea Cairde Services centre which impacted negatively on residents’ rights, their privacy and dignity, and their choice and control over decisions relating to their care and support. 

In a Communicare Agency Limited centre, improvements were needed to arrangements for infection control and the admissions and contract for the provision of services.

At a centre operated by Delta Centre Company Limited, improvements were required to ensure residents were supported to manage their own financial affairs.

In a Camphill Communities of Ireland centre, staffing needed to improve to ensure residents' healthcare needs were appropriately assessed and met.

Improvements were required to safeguarding arrangements in centres operated by COPE Foundation, Co Wexford Community Workshop (Enniscorthy), and KARE, Promoting Inclusion for People with Intellectual Disabilities centre.

Read all reports at the link below.