Cutbacks hit disability guidelines

New guidelines on the quality of residential care for people with disabilities will not be implemented on a statutory basis due to cutbacks in health spending.

The guidelines, devised by Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), set out the quality and safety standards for publicly-funded care facilities.

But Minister for Equality, Disability and Mental Health John Moloney said the standards would only be implemented on a voluntary basis.

“Given the current fiscal situation, it was not proposed to move to full statutory implementation of the standards, including regulation and inspection, at this time,” he said.

The 58-page National Quality Standards for Residential Services for People with Disabilitiesreport was published today by HIQA.

The standards cover areas such the quality of life enjoyed at residential centres as well as staffing levels and safety codes.

They also set out best practice criteria for health, rights of individuals, physical environment and management structures.

HIQA said the guidelines were 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. They will also act as a guide to individuals and families as to what they can reasonably expect of a residential service,” the report said.

However, the standards do no apply to residential services for children with disabilities.

Chairwoman of the National Disability Authority (NDA) Angela Kerins said people with disabilities in residential care are amongst the most vulnerable members of our society.

She said the introduction of a "robust framework of standards-based regulation and inspection is widely acknowledged both nationally and internationally to be the best way of ensuring the best quality of care which provides best outcomes for individuals in those services, the safeguarding of people with disabilities against risk of abuse and harm".

"While the NDA welcomes the publication of the standards for people with disabilities in residential care as launched by HIQA today, it is important that they are implemented for the safety and welfare of individuals with disabilities who are living in residential services and are therefore dependent on such services 24 hours per day, seven days per week,” she said.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) said the standards represented “a significant milestone in ongoing quality improvements in the delivery of residential services for people with disabilities”.

Mr Moloney said: “These Standards are based on the principles of quality of fife; safety; rights; anti-discrimination; person-centredness; community integration, and responsive services.

“They seek to enable persons with disabilities who are in residential services to achieve their full potential in every aspect of their lives,” he added.