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Services for People with Disabilities

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 June 2014

Thursday, 19 June 2014

Ceisteanna (186)

Simon Harris

Ceist:

186. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the inspections of residential homes for persons with disabilities and the implementation of the national standards for such residential homes; when inspections commenced; the number that have been carried out to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26445/14]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As the Deputy is aware, the Programme for Government committed to putting 'National Standards for Residential Services for People with Disabilities' on a statutory footing to ensure that services could be inspected by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA). This commitment was fulfilled when two regulations, one relating to care and support and the second relating to registration issues, were approved and signed by the Minister for Health, with the scheme commencing on 1st November 2013. The introduction of registration and inspection represents a significant advance in terms of delivering consistent and high quality services for people with disabilities in residential services.

I am informed by HIQA that it carried out 149 inspections of designated disability centres or disability units in the period between 1 November 2013 and mid-May 2014.

All residential services for people with disabilities have to be registered with HIQA, and assessed against the Health Act 2007, regulations and national standards. I understand that HIQA is currently compiling information and details of all residential centres for people with disabilities and is also developing a programme of registration activity for these centres to the end of the year.

In April 2014, HIQA completed the first formal registration of a designated centre for persons with disabilities in line with the provisions of the Health Act, 2007.

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