Hiqa received more than 5,000 calls about adult care last year

The State’s health watchdog received

more than 5,000 alerts about potential risks to adults in care homes last year, according to its annual report.

The Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) said it received 6,946 notifications in 2013. Of these, 5,362 were alerting it to potential risks to the health, safety or wellbeing of residents in adult homes.

The report says it also received 355 “concerns” for older people and 63 for people with disabilities during the year. Concerns related to a variety of issues, including complaints, health needs, rights and dignity, the suitability of premises and staff, and staffing levels.

Inspectors visited 27 children’s residential centres, and subjected seven to follow-up visits. They found that while timely actions were being taken to protect children at risk, there were extensive waiting lists for child-protection and welfare services, and some teams were operating with 20 per cent staff vacancies.

Some children at risk were without social workers, and information management systems were poor.

Inspections of five foster-care centres revealed that some children were living in unapproved care placements, foster carers were not subject to reviews and there was a shortage of training for them.

Last year, the authority published more than 700 reports of inspections of nursing home services and 60 reports of inspections of foster and children’s residential services.