Hiqa demands new laws on care centres; Survey finds inappropriate staff behaviour

Hiqa is demanding legislation to protect those most at risk in the country’s care services from abuse, harm, and exploitation, after it found inappropriate staff behaviour, and unsafe practices across institutions.

The health watchdog’s 2016 overview of social care and healthcare services raised issues in disability, elder care, children’s services, and healthcare institutions.

The overview highlights “poor governance, inadequate safeguarding, a lack of clear policy direction and/or timely implementation of policy, and poor accountability, particularly in terms of how those funding services assured the best use of public money”.