We continue to inspect in nursing homes across Ireland and are planning a number of events to engage with providers, persons in charge and persons participating in management later this year.
Each week we carry out inspections in nursing homes to ensure the care and welfare of residents. This includes risk inspections, thematic inspections, inspections with a specific focus on infection control and inspections with a specific focus on fire precautions.
As of 1 August 2023, our inspectors have completed 460 inspections of designated centres for older people in 2023. We have also received over 5,800 monitoring notifications and 663 pieces of unsolicited information during the year.
During inspections, we speak with residents about their experience of living in the nursing home and we also speak with staff working in the nursing home. We include a summary of our inspection findings in our inspection reports, and readers can find the reports from all of our inspections which are published on our website.
We have recently re-commenced our thematic programme of inspections with a focus on restrictive practice. These thematic inspections aim to improve the quality of life for residents, and encourage registered providers and staff to take a positive and proactive approach to reducing and eliminating restrictive practices. In June 2023, we held a webinar for providers and persons in charge to outline the plans for these inspections and what to expect as part of this monitoring process.
Stakeholder Events
We are currently preparing to host stakeholder events which will begin towards the end of September this year. Similar to last year’s events, we are planning four sessions which will be held in Cork, Dublin, Galway and Westmeath.
These events allow registered providers, persons in charge and persons participating in management an opportunity to meet with inspectors outside of the monitoring process and share valuable information. It also affords providers the opportunity to raise any questions that they might have on key topics, such as safeguarding, governance and management and other regulatory matters.