The Mental Health Commission (“MHC”) and Health Information and Quality Authority (“HIQA”) release new draft standards to address abuse

On 01 August 2018, the MHC and HIQA launched draft national standards for public consultation. The draft standards were introduced to provide a framework for best practice in safeguarding adults in health and social care services.

Once approved by the Minister for Health, they will become National Standards, placing a responsibility on all publicly funded health and social care services to begin implementing them. This includes, but is not limited to: residential services for older people and people with a disability, mental health approved centres, mental health community residences, acute hospitals, day care services, care delivered in the home including care delivered by a public health nurse or home support services, general practices and primary care centres.

The National Standards, when approved, will:

• act as a resource for services to know what is expected of them in reducing the risk of harm to service users.
• act as a reference for service users and their families to gauge how well, or otherwise, any particular service is doing in this area.
• require that staff are trained in their roles and responsibilities in implementing the National Standards.
• enable a person-centred approach by focusing on service users and placing them at the centre of everything that the service does.
• promote practice that is up to date, effective and consistent.

Both HIQA and the MHC are urging the public and interested parties to give their opinion on the draft standards during the public consultation, which will run for 7 weeks until 19 September 2018 at 5pm (click here for online questionnaire).

For more information on the draft national standards and the consultation, click here.