Officials within the National Disability Authority (NDA) have expressed concern at Government delays in implementing national standards in services for disabled people.
A confidential draft report for the State-funded authority, seen by The Irish Times, indicated that a significant number of service providers were failing basic standards, such as providing services in a safe environment, respecting patients' rights and consulting family members over the care of relatives.
While more than €1 billion in State funding is provided annually to voluntary organisations and health boards to provide services, these are not subject to inspection or national standards.
The NDA approved a set of standards for disability services last October following almost two years of research and consultation. The Department of Health, however, was unable yesterday to say when the measures would be implemented.
At a meeting of the NDA's standards advisory committee this week, officials and members of the group expressed disappointment at the "apparent" lack of progress.
A letter by the NDA's director, Ms Claire O'Connor, this year was also circulated in which she urged the speedy implementation of the standards as early as last February.
The chairman of the committee, Prof Vincent Dodd, said yesterday he was "anxious" that the standards be implemented.
"I think the importance of having national standards is that they enable a benchmark to be established for each service provider against these standards. Compliance or non-compliance can be measured."
The NDA's chairwoman, Ms Angela Kerins, also said she hoped the standards would be implemented soon.
"The board has signed them off, and we're waiting for our partnership in the process, the Department of Health, to sign off on it."
The planned standards come at a time when the Government is preparing to invest record funds in the disability sector.
It is likely the standards will be implemented by a new statutory agency, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA).
Under the new standards regime, expected to be published shortly, services will receive different ratings depending on the level of service they provide.
Groups which meet basic criteria will be recognised as an "approved service".
Services will also receive a "quality" rating and an "excellence" rating depending on how they are rated by independent inspectors.
