This month, HIQA is commencing a new inspection programme to drive improvements in infection prevention and control in designated centres for older people and people with a disability.
The inspections will focus on the regulations on infection control and how service providers have implemented the National Standards for infection prevention and control in community services.
Susan Cliffe, Deputy Chief Inspector of Social Services (Older Persons), said: “The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the significant impact that weak or insufficient infection control procedures can have on the lives of people receiving services. These inspections will focus on the procedures and practices providers have in place to minimise the risk of infection to residents. They also aim to drive improvements in how providers assess the risk of infection, and implement standard and transmission-based precautions.”
Finbarr Colfer, Deputy Chief Inspector of Social Services (Disability Services), said: “This inspection programme is being introduced at a key time in the sector to ensure that we learn from our experiences over the past 18 months and prevent complacency with infection control. It is essential that providers and staff continue to test and review their infection prevention and control response plans in each centre and to assure residents in services, and their family members, friends and advocates, that appropriate measures are in place at all times.”
These inspections will commence this month, focusing on nine standards around infection prevention and control, including on the capacity and capability of the service provider to manage the centre, and the quality and safety of care and support delivered to residents. Inspections will monitor services under Regulation 27 of the relevant regulations.
Throughout September, HIQA carried out a series of webinars with providers and persons in charge of designated centres to prepare them for these inspections. Infection Prevention and Control inspectors spoke about the key standards that underpin good infection prevention and control and described practical, real-life examples of what constitute good and bad infection prevention and control practices in centres. There was also a question and answer session at the end, where attendees could submit questions to the panel.
HIQA has published assessment judgment frameworks and guidance documents to assist providers and persons in charge to prepare for these inspections. Compliance with infection control will also continue to be assessed on all other inspection types for the foreseeable future.
The assessment judgment frameworks and guidance documents can be found on www.hiqa.ie. Inspection reports will be published on www.hiqa.ie in line with HIQA’s usual publication process.