Our Older Persons’ Team has completed 254 inspections of nursing homes across Ireland so far this year, meaning we have inspected almost half of nursing homes (44%) in the country.
Of these, 109 inspections were in response to a new-registration application, or an application to vary an existing condition or to renew registration. In addition, 91 inspections focused on monitoring compliance.
The team is maintaining its focus on dementia care in nursing homes due to the increased vulnerability of people who have dementia. So far in 2018, the team has completed 54 dementia-themed inspections.
We also continue to monitor nursing homes through the receipt of information. This is an important part of the monitoring process. Information comes in to us in two ways:
Receipt of information via the statutory notifications submitted by nursing homes to HIQA throughout the year.
Unsolicited information sent in to us by the public, including from residents and staff of nursing homes.
All information submitted is processed and reviewed by our staff. Such information will inform our regulatory activity throughout the remainder of the year.
For more information on the work of our Older Person’s Team in 2017, see our recently published Overview of HIQA regulation of social care and healthcare services 2017.