Report urges regulation of homecare services
July 28, 2009
INDEPENDENT INSPECTIONS and care standards for professional home carers should be introduced to help protect against abuse and mistreatment, according to a Law Reform Commission consultation paper.
At present there is no regulation of such services despite the fact that thousands of older people receive professional assistance to allow them to live independently at home.
In contrast, the domiciliary care sector is heavily regulated in the UK and other jurisdictions.
A Law Reform Commission consultation paper on the issue, to be published today, says the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) should be empowered to regulate and monitor professional home carers.
These standards should be tailored for homecare settings, building on existing standards for nursing homes. They should ensure that care is provided in a manner that promotes the wellbeing and independence of clients.
Overall, the report warns that a failure to regulate services can lead to inconsistencies in terms of service quality and delivery and the potential for abuse.
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