Today, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has published 30 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 30 inspections, inspectors found a generally good level of compliance with the regulations and standards in 14 centres operated by a number of providers including: Nua Healthcare Services Limited, Peamount Healthcare, Resilience Healthcare Limited, St John of God Community Services CLG, St Joseph's Foundation, St Michael's House, Terra Glen Residential Care Services Limited, and The Rehab Group.

Examples of good practice observed by inspectors included: 

• At a centre in Kildare operated by Nua Healthcare Services Limited, a resident said they were very happy and proud of their achievements such as cooking and travelling independently on public transport. Another resident described how they planned their budget to ensure they could take part in activities they enjoyed regularly, while also ensuring their bills were paid.
• At a centre in Dublin operated by Peamount Healthcare, staff were seen to support residents in a kind and gentle manner. The inspector observed residents taking part in a group music session, with staff playing guitar and singing. Residents showed their enjoyment of the music by joining in with  the singing, requesting songs or simply listening and smiling.
• Easy-to-read information on residents’ rights was available at a centre in Longford operated by the Rehab Group. At meetings, residents discussed the importance of dignity and respect and agreed to respect each other’s personal living space.

Inspectors identified poor levels of compliance with the regulations and standards in 16 other centres.

Poor governance was identified in two centres operated by Sunbeam House Services CLG. This impacted on residents’ rights and living arrangements, with improvements needed in areas including use of restrictive practices, managing risks, measures to protect against infection, residents’ contracts, premises and fire safety. 

At a centre operated by Resilience Healthcare Limited, immediate action was required to ensure that fire safety measures adequately protected residents. In addition, residents were found to be at risk due to poor safeguarding plans, poor management of medication and insufficient staffing. 

Residents’ finances were not adequately safeguarded at a centre operated by The Cheshire Foundation in Ireland. Residents’ rights and privacy were also impacted by institutional practices within the centre.

At a centre operated by St Joseph's Foundation, poor governance and staffing impacted on the provider’s ability to meet residents’ needs. In addition, fire safety measures required improvement.    

Residents of three centres operated by St Michael’s House were impacted by poor fire safety measures and insufficient staffing, and improvements were also needed to residents’ support plans and the management of medications. 

Residents’ finances were not sufficiently safeguarded at a centre operated by Terra Glen Residential Care Services Limited. 

Insufficient staffing and poor management of medication were found to have affected the care provided to residents at two centres operated by Nua Healthcare Services Limited. While poor risk management arrangements impacted on residents at a centre operated by Talbot Care Unlimited Company.

The management of risks and incidents required improvement at a centre operated by Walkinstown Association For People With An Intellectual Disability CLG. While at a centre operated by Stepping Stones Residential Care Limited improvements were required in the management of residents’ finances. Improvements were required in medication management at a centre operated by PraxisCare.

Finally, residents’ access to activities required improvement at a centre operated by Stewarts Care DAC.