Yesterday, 11 May 2009, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) published the National Quality Standards: Residential Services for People with Disabilities in Ireland. The 19 standards are grouped under seven headings which address quality of life; staffing; protection; development and health; rights; the physical environment; and governance and management and reflect international best practice and research.  These standards have been developed for the purposes of the registration and inspection of residential services for people with disabilities. They will assist service providers to assess the quality of the service they provide in advance of inspection and will also act as a guide to individuals and families as to what they can reasonably expect of a residential service. The standards do not apply to residential services for children with disabilities as a separate set of standards is being developed for these services.

  

The standards follow the same structure as the 32 National Standards for Residential Care Settings for Older People that were launched on 9 March 2009 by HIQA  and which are also grouped into seven fairly similar sections (the rights of older people; protection of residents; health and social care needs; quality of life; staffing; the care environment; and management and governance).

  

John Moloney, the Minister of State with responsibility for Equality, Disability and Mental Health has acknowledged that, given the current fiscal situation, it was not proposed to place the standards, including regulation and inspection on a statutory footing yet. However, progressive implementation of the standards would be commenced on a non-statutory basis in all publicly-funded facilities. The Minister has also stated that there would be further discussions between his office, HIQA and the Health Service Executive about how to introduce an appropriate form of external monitoring of the quality of residential services for people with disabilities.

   

Link to the new standards