Today, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has launched an online collection of standard definitions for terminology used in social care settings. 

HIQA’s Lexicon for Social Care features sourced definitions for key words, phrases and frequently used terms in legislation and standards for social care services, including nursing homes and services for people with disabilities and children services. The resource has been made publicly available on HIQA’s website for those working in, learning about or engaging with a social care service to use. 

Speaking about the innovative resource, HIQA’s Chief Inspector of Social Services, Carol Grogan said: “While standardised language exists in healthcare, there is no comparable list of terms for use in social care. The introduction of a lexicon for social care is essential to improving the quality and consistency of communications within these services, as it ensures everyone is using the same terminologies. This first of its kind resource aims to facilitate a wider understanding of key words and terms for professionals, providers and people using services alike.”

While developing its Database of Statutory Notifications from Social Care, HIQA recognised the need for a language framework to support service providers when describing incidents that occur in designated centres. 

The development of this lexicon has taken two years and involved intensive research and stakeholder engagement. HIQA engaged with an expert group comprised of academics, regulatory staff, advocacy groups and those with prior experience in developing lexicons. It also engaged with residents in social care services, working with them and listening to their preferred choice of terminology to include in this resource.

Carol Grogan continued: “This standardised language is accessible to everyone and is a great opportunity for all those who are using, working or interested in social care to learn and better understand a range of key phrases, which are commonly used day-to-day in social care settings. 

“Service providers and persons in charge will now be encouraged to adopt the lexicon when submitting notifications to HIQA. Standardising language will allow for more comprehensive collection of data. As such, the lexicon will help analysis of adverse events in social care, as well as benefit research and audits. 

“We aspire that this resource will support improved communication channels between HIQA and the services that we regulate, as well as being used day-to-day by social care professionals and the public.”

View the Lexicon of Social Care on www.hiqa.ie. 

Ends.

Notes to Editor:

• HIQA’s Chief Inspector of Social Services has statutory authority for independently regulating nursing homes and designated centres for people with disabilities in Ireland. 
• Lexicon for Social Care aims to:
  • standardise frequently used words and terms in social care settings
  • support people’s understanding of key words and terms
  • build confidence in applying the terminologies 
  • assist in streamlining documentation and reports
  • act as a guidance document for those interested in or engaging with the area, and
  • aid in the collection of data for research, quality and safety analyses.
• ‘Person in charge’ refers to the person appointed to be in command of the designated centre. This is a requirement under Regulation 14 (1) of the Health Act 2007 (Care and Support of Residents in Designated Centres for Persons (Children and Adults) with Disabilities) Regulations 2013. 
• Statutory notifications are reports of incidents recorded by a service provider and submitted to HIQA’s Chief Inspector of Social Services. These are a regulatory requirement for specific social care services, primarily nursing homes and residential services for people with disabilities.
• The Lexicon for Social Care was part of a larger project which also included the development of the Database of Statutory Notifications from Social Care. The work was funded by the Health Research Board, grant number [SDAP-2019-005].
• The Database of Statutory Notifications from Social Care is a national data collection of the statutory notifications received by HIQA. The data is used to inform evidence-based policy-making and practice, and to stimulate innovation in the provision of quality and safe care in residential care services.