Hiqa finds 24 disability centres non-compliant during inspections

Just 16 of 40 disability services inspected by health watchdog Hiqa were compliant.

An HSE-run disability service centre with “very clear evidence” of “very poor” safeguarding practice was among the 24 centres which were found to be non-compliant by Hiqa.

Just 16 of 40 disability services inspected by health watchdog Hiqa were compliant.

Some 24 inspections at centres, including two operated by the HSE, raised concerns with several Ability West centres in Galway, in particular, having “persistent poor findings”.

Issues surrounding safety, management, training and staff development were found when the HSE-run Church View centre in Westmeath was inspected in May.

The Hiqa inspector said there was “very clear evidence” of “very poor safeguarding practice” at the centre.

“The review of evidence provided to the inspector identifies that the residents, who are vulnerable adults, had not been appropriately protected by the staff, management nor the systems in place in this centre,” the report read.

While training records regarding the safeguarding of vulnerable adults and human rights promotion showed that staff had completed their assigned training it was not implemented in practice.

The inspector issued an urgent action plan to the provider based on safeguarding concerns.

Separately, governance and management arrangements in another HSE-operated centre also in Westmeath were found to be ineffective in ensuring the service was safe or appropriate in meeting the needs of the residents.

Issues surrounding the emergency admission of a resident whose placement was deemed unsustainable remained during the inspection in May, despite the centre assuring Hiqa that the resident would be transferred to a more appropriate centre no later than 26 April 2023.

The compatibility issues continued to impact the lives of other residents, one of whom chose to spend “a lot of time” in their bedroom because of the issue.

Non-compliance

Hiqa said the level of non-compliance in five Ability West centres in Galway related to areas that directly impacted on residents’ safety and quality of life and “continues to be of concern”.

Concerns also included a failure of management to adequately monitor their centres and identify and address issues relating to areas such as positive behaviour support, residents’ personal plans, medication management and staffing.

In one centre, the provider was required by inspectors to take urgent action to ensure the safety of residents due to challenging behaviour issues.

Hiqa is closely monitoring these centres and further escalatory action will be taken should there be a failure to ensure the safety and wellbeing of residents, a spokesperson said.

Hiqa also required the COPE Foundation to implement a governance improvement plan due to ongoing non-compliances in a number of their centres.

Five of the centres received inspections to verify the effectiveness of the provider’s actions to improve the safety and quality of life for residents.

Non-compliances were found across these centres in areas such as fire safety, residents’ rights, personal plans, staffing and overall governance arrangements.

A spokesperson for Hiqa said the chief inspector is currently engaging with the Cope Foundation concerning the failure to address non-compliances and is closely monitoring the designated centres.