Disability centre residents say ‘bank cards kept in safe by staff’

A number of residents of disability centres said their bank cards were kept in a safe by staff and they had to ask to access their own money, the health watchdog has reported.

In a report published by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) on Friday, it found that while many residents showed an awareness of their rights, some spoke about challenges with their rights.

A number reported how they could not always go out because of staff shortages or felt they did not have enough say in decisions, like going shopping or what to buy.

Some residents also shared experiences where they felt their rights of choice and decision-making were limited.

HIQA published its 2024 Resident Forums report, which captures the voices and experiences of people living in residential services for people with disabilities.

HIQA said it held 13 face-to-face forums across the country, with 103 residents across 13 different service providers, to hear about their experiences of living in residential services.

The watchdog said that residents showed a strong awareness of their rights and gave examples of how these are respected in their daily lives.

These included the ability to see family, lock their door, manage their own money and live in a safe and comfortable home.

Residents told inspectors about the importance of staff knocking before entering their rooms and having privacy when visitors come over. Some residents also felt staff should be reminded to always knock before entering their rooms.

Some residents also spoke about challenges with their rights. A few residents said their bank cards were kept in a safe by staff, meaning they had to ask to access their own money.

Many residents also wanted to have HIQA inspection reports made more accessible, and asked for them to be shared with them.

Many told HIQA that they did not know what happened after an inspection and said they wanted to be more involved about its results.

Residents also spoke about choice and independence, and described deciding where they went, what they ate and how important it was to be part of the community.

Others spoke about how much their independence meant to them and how they had been supported to take part in education and work.

Many residents said they had regular meetings in their homes where they discussed things like food choices and activities.

Another said their house did not have meetings. Some also felt that when they did speak up, their views were not always listened to.

Some residents shared experiences where they felt their rights of choice and decision-making were limited.

Two residents mentioned a concert which they wished to attend but the trip was cancelled at the last minute without explanation.

They felt it was due to concerns about another resident potentially having a “wobble” at the event, which meant no one was able to go.

Another resident said their doctor decided what food they could eat because of their weight and staff would not let them have a takeaway if they wanted one.

Another resident shared how they did not get a say when they moved house.

HIQA said that, overall, residents felt their rights were respected in many ways but also saw areas where things could improve.

This was particularly around communication, decision-making and ensuring their privacy and independence were always upheld.