Quality of care in Irish Care Homes

A recent article in the Irish Independent highlights the challenges faced within the Care Sector in Ireland. We have all read the stories in the media regarding the issues reported in Care Homes and the subsequent investigations by HIQA.

There is no quick fix to the problems and a coherent strategy involving multiple stakeholders is part of the solution. People in care are some of the most vulnerable people in society and they deserve better. Care Homes needs to adhere to the latest regulations and be compliant. Audits should be more frequent to ensure this happens and results should be published so that the public is aware of the homes that fully compliant and those that are not. This then will enable family members to make informed decisions about where their loved ones should reside.

If a home is not compliant a plan should be put in place to support it with a deadline. Stakeholders such as family members can be part of the process to report back their experiences and thoughts on the care their family member is getting. A process like this with multiple engaged stakeholders can only but improve the current situation.