New standards to protect adults from harm to apply to all health services
New standards to protect adults from harm will apply to all health and social care services.
Health Minister Simon Harris said the standards, developed by the Health Information and Quality Authority and the Mental Health Commission, would act as “a powerful tool” to encourage service providers to adopt best practice.
Chief executive of Hiqa Phelim Quinn said all health and social care services should begin to implement these standards to safeguard all adults who might be at risk from harm.
“However, Hiqa believes that a system-wide approach to addressing safeguarding requires policy and legislation to also be in place,” said Mr Quinn.
Chief executive of the Mental Health Commission John Farrelly said they had to ensure that people using mental health services are protected and that no one slips through the cracks.
“As we move further away from the grey, forbidding walls of institutional care and towards modern and community-based mental health services, services users must remain at the centre of reform,” said Mr Farrelly.
“While legislation must clearly be introduced, the standards will help create a building block for a new culture of care, vigilance and empowerment that should be embedded right across the health and social care system.”
He urged all mental health services to apply the new safeguarding standards in full and ensure that those using them are aware of the protections that existed for them.
While the standards do not create any legal obligations for mental health providers, they constitute best practice in the delivery of services.
The commission will consider the best way to monitor implementation using its existing quality and judgment support frameworks.
Mr Farrelly said the commission was committed to the timely commencement of the Decision Support Service, a key part of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015.
However, there were issues still to be addressed by the Department of Justice and Equality.
The service is for people with an intellectual disability, mental illness or acquired brain injury, as well as people with age-related conditions who may need help to make decisions.
Safeguarding Ireland, which welcomed the standards, also said they must be underpinned by legislation and regulation.
Chairperson of Safeguarding Ireland Patricia Rickard-Clarke said the Assisted Decision-Making Act that includes an overhaul of the wardship system as well as strengthening decision-making supports for vulnerable people must be implemented in full next year.
