Residents of centres for people with disabilities have given mostly positive feedback but some have said they would like to see the HIQA reports on where they live.
The comments were made in 15 face-to-face meetings HIQA researchers held with residents’ forums around the State last year.
The information was compiled for HIQA’s 2023 Report on Centres for People with Disabilities which includes the residents’ feedback on human rights, respite provision, HIQA inspections, safeguarding and information sharing.
On human rights, the researchers found that the majority of residents understood what their rights were.
Comments included that it was about being “treated equally” and “independence” and one said: “If there was something I was interested in but staff weren’t happy, I’d just let staff know exactly, that it’s my choice and I’m in the right.”
On advocacy, some of the residents who took part were members of advocacy groups in their centres.
One said it was about “standing up for other people” another described it as “spread the word advocacy”.
When asked about choice, the residents talked about how important it was. One said: “What we do everyday, we all have choices. In the choices we have rights.” Sometimes choice was about food with one explaining, “sometimes I don’t like the meals, I tell staff and they help me,” and another saying in their centre they “can go into the kitchen anytime you want”.
It was also about how they spend time and comments included, “I have a right to go down town” and “you can choose what you want to do, nice things. Choose to go for a drive or a café.”
Choices and rights also included sleep and bedtimes: “Don’t need to tell when to go to bed, I go myself.”
On privacy, some residents highlighted actions that would help. “Staff knock on the door before coming in” and “I want my own room.” Some said they would like more: “If staff are there all day and all night. You don’t have your own independence.”
On finance, residents raised the issue of having their own money and on staffing they talked about having staff who are familiar to them. “Regular staff is important” and “some staff are agency, but they don’t know me.”
Some residents have been involved with recruiting new staff: “We got to be on an interviewing panel. I love it.”
On safety, some talked about the need for regular staff to feel safe and others spoke about the right “to be safe in your own house”.
Most of the residents in the survey were not availing of respite services, but those who were gave positive feedback. “It’s kind of a holiday really – away for three nights… really enjoy it,” said one.
On HIQA inspections and what inspectors could do differently, comments included “one to one chat in private with me” and “if we could get to talk to you (inspectors) more we would be grateful”.
Some said they would like notice when inspectors are coming.
Some said they did not see the HIQA reports on their centres as staff did not show it to them, “they keep the report private”. But others were told about it: “The person in charge talks to us and reads it”.
When asked about how the reports could be made more accessible to them, suggestions from residents included bullet points and pictures.
On information, some residents said they were allowed to see their file, another said they keep it in their own room.
The issue of Covid was one that several residents raised, saying that it was very upsetting and they were heartbroken over it.
