Gap Analysis for Irish Wheelchair Association, Assisted Living Services

“HCI’s objective, professional examination of Irish Wheelchair Association’s Assisted Living Services against the Draft Regulations for Providers of Home Support Services and the Draft National Standards for Home Support Services, has been of great value. Their assessment confirmed to us the strengths of the service and provided us with detailed recommendations that will guide our quality improvement developments in line with regulation, standards and best practice. HCI’s Specialists deep practical knowledge has given us great confidence that by implementing their quality improvement recommendations, we will continue to deliver a high standard of care and be well prepared for future regulatory requirements.”

Denise Moran

Head of Quality and Data Protection Officer, Irish Wheelchair Association

Background

Irish Wheelchair Association, Assisted Living Services (IWA ALS) provides direct assisted living services for people with disabilities on behalf of the HSE and other agencies. They offer a variety of services including personal care services, home support, companionship and medication support.

In preparation for the upcoming licensure of home support services, IWA ALS proactively sought to benchmark their services against the emerging regulatory landscape. Recognising the importance of compliance, continuous improvement, and service excellence, they engaged HCI to conduct a Gap Analysis of their Quality and Safety Management System (QSMS), in line with the Draft Regulations for Providers of Home Support Services and the Draft National Standards for Home Support Services.

Objectives

Identify the strengths and weaknesses of IWA ALS’s current QSMS in line with the Draft Regulations for Providers of Home Support Services and The Draft National Standards for Home Support Services (Nov 2024).
Provide a comprehensive report identifying areas of good practice and actionable opportunities for improvement, supporting continuous quality enhancement and regulatory preparedness.
Utilise an audit model reflective of HIQA’s approach to monitoring and inspection.

Solution

In order to ensure IWA ALS received a thorough assessment of their QSMS, HCI provided the following solution:

Development of project plan and project governance.

Offsite document review.

Onsite review including a document review, staff interviews and process observation.

Analysis of findings.

Development of Draft Report.

Client review of Draft Report and feedback provided to HCI.

Gap Analysis Report is finalised and presented to client.

Challenges

The home support sector is currently not regulated, and the regulations and standards available are in Draft which means the exact regulatory requirements are yet to be determined.

Outcome

HCI delivered a thorough assessment of IWA ALS’s Quality and Safety Management System, benchmarked against the Draft Regulations for Providers of Home Support Services and the Draft National Standards for Home Support Services. The process included document review, process observations including service user home visits, and staff interviews, supported by an inspection model aligned with HIQA’s regulatory approach.

The resulting report highlighted both good practice and areas for enhancement. IWA ALS will use the findings as a strategic roadmap to strengthen their QSMS and ensure readiness for the forthcoming regulatory framework.

Benefits

A comprehensive and independent review of processes.
Provides IWA ALS with a clear understanding of how their current systems align with the Draft Regulations and Draft National Standards, supporting proactive compliance planning ahead of licensure.
Provides a structured pathway for strengthening governance, operational processes, and service delivery in line with best practice.
Risk areas are identified within the service.
Generate awareness among staff of regulatory expectations and HIQA’s monitoring and inspection process.
Provides a roadmap to put in place the appropriate Quality Improvement Plans (QIPs) to address any issues prior to a regulatory inspection from HIQA.
Inclusion of service user feedback ensured the assessment remained person-centred, reinforcing IWA ALS’s commitment to delivering safe, high-quality care.
HCI’s extensive regulatory, quality and service user safety knowledge is transferred to staff during the project.