All adults have a right to be safe and to live a life free from harm. Harm can come in many forms, and it affects people differently. But harm always impacts on the rights we are all entitled to enjoy.
The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) and the Mental Health Commission (MHC) have jointly developed draft national standards for adult safeguarding.
Hear what people who promote the rights, health and wellbeing of adults have to say about the role of national standards for adult safeguarding
‘Safeguarding’ means putting measures in place in services to reduce the risk of harm, to promote people’s human rights and their health and wellbeing, and to empower people to protect themselves.
Safeguarding is fundamental to high-quality health and social care. The National Standards, when finalised, will provide a framework for best practice in safeguarding adults in health and social care services in Ireland.
A short animation outlining what safeguarding is and why it is important is available here. HIQA and the MHC have now launched a public consultation on the Draft national standards for adult safeguarding.
HIQA and the MHC have developed Draft national standards for adult safeguarding to help health and social care services reduce the risk of harm, promote people’s rights, health and wellbeing, and to empower people to protect themselves.
The draft standards are based on national and international evidence and were developed with people using health and social care services, staff delivering services and policy-makers.
We would like to hear your views on the draft standards, which are available for public consultation for a seven-week period. We are encouraging all interested parties to provide feedback and become involved in the standards development process by submitting their views to us during this consultation.
This consultation aims to gather different viewpoints on the draft standards from people using health and social care services, their families and the staff and organisations providing these services.
This feedback will be carefully considered and will inform the development of the final National Standards, which are designed to apply to all health and social care services.
The public consultation will run until 5pm on 19 September 2018.
Your comments will be considered and will inform the development of the final National Standards for adult safeguarding.
Read the background document HIQA and the MHC have published, summarising international, national and academic evidence for adult safeguarding.
Watch our animation on what safeguarding is, and what the consultation is about.
Read HIQA Chief Executive’s opening address on adult safeguarding standards delivered during the Adult Safeguarding Seminar on 9 May 2018.
For further information or if you have any questions, you can email the Standards Team at standards@hiqa.ie or call 01 814 7400 and ask to speak to a member of the Standards Team.