Governance
Board of Directors
Nua Healthcare Services is governed by the Companies Act 2014 and has established a Board of Directors. The Board comprises a mix of Executive, Non-Executive and Independent Non-Executive Directors and meets monthly. Directors are required to act in good faith in best interests of the company, act honestly and responsibly, act within their powers, apply independent judgment, avoid conflicting interests, exercise due care, skill and diligence and have regard to shareholders’ interests.
Nua Healthcare Services’ Board of Directors relies on the provision of timely and accurate information from across all the departments within its service, however, as is appropriate, the highest importance is placed on the quality and safety of services for the people who avail of services, and indeed the team members who deliver them. Our Clinical Governance Committee fulfils a critical role in reviewing quality and safety KPIs, and where appropriate, delving into individual reports in the pursuance of understanding where problems have occurred or have the potential to occur and both challenge and support our teams to address concerns and ultimately, to drive continuous quality and safety improvement. The Clinical Governance Committee Chairperson is responsible for summarising the committee’s work for the Board of Directors, for clearly articulating our successes and our opportunities for improvement.
Clinical Governance Committee
Regulatory Performance
Compliance with National Standards and associated Acts and Regulation is paramount to Nua Healthcare Services. We understand the importance of adherence to the same in pursuing excellence in service delivery. Therefore, we emphasise the design, implementation, and audit of our ways of working and, as necessary, the timely fulfilment of corrective action plans and sharing of knowledge across our service.
Our average rate of compliance across our Regulators and our International Accreditation Body is circa 95%.
Health Information & Quality Authority (HIQA)
- Regulatory Authority for Intellectual Disability Services
HIQA is the independent authority responsible for driving quality, safety, and accountability in residential services for children, older people, and people with disabilities in Ireland. In 2013 they commenced their process of inspection, and where appropriate, the registration of Designated Centres.
Prior to HIQA’s commencement of regulation in 2013, Nua Healthcare Services developed and commenced the implementation of policies, procedures, and ways of working which were based on the draft national standards and later, the National Standards for Residential Services for Children and Adults with Disabilities 2013.
Our overall approach to service delivery is derived from our Mission, Vision, and Values.
Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF)
Since 2016, Nua Healthcare Services has successfully achieved accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, more commonly known as CARF, an American-based independent accreditor of health and human services.
The accreditation process applies CARF's internationally recognised standards during a site survey conducted by peer surveyors. Accreditation, however, is an ongoing process that distinguishes a provider's service delivery and signals to the public that the provider is committed to continuous performance improvement, responsive to feedback, and accountable to the community and its other stakeholders.
CARF accreditation promotes providers' demonstration of value and Quality Across the Lifespan® of millions of persons served through the application of rigorous organisational and programme standards organised around the ASPIRE to Excellence® continuous quality improvement framework. CARF accreditation has been the recognised benchmark of quality health and human services for more than 50 years.
Nua went through the re-accreditation process in February 2023, during which a total of 1,876 standards were inspected across services, resulting in Nua achieving an incredible total score of 99.2%. Services surveyed included Behavioural Consultation Services, Community Housing, Community Integration, and Inpatient Treatment: Mental Health (Adults).
Here are some extracts from the February 2023 report:
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Nua has grown substantially since the last survey, notably successfully expanding true person-centred care into mental health services. Examples of strong person-centredness include individual care plans that are provided pictorially or in the service user’s primary language and even an example of a plan being composed in music to accommodate the service user’s understanding and ownership of the plan.
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To provide these hyper-cautious, individually designed, and intensive supports, the organisation has committed tremendous resources and developed an extraordinary team of educated and enthusiastic staff. This includes a competent team of psychiatric/psychological staff, skilled nursing, a trained architect, and numerous committed direct support staff members.
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Nua is acknowledged for its efforts to meet the unique needs of its service users. Extensive assessments are completed to determine the best environment and supports needed for each person, and extensive transition plans are developed and implemented.
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It is evident that employees of Nua are and feel very supported by the leaders of the organisation. As a result, the staff are committed and enthusiastic about the work they do each day.
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Nua is very thorough in addressing safety issues and does so in a very personalised way by developing personalised evacuation plans for each service user at the service sites.
To read our CARF accreditation report from February 2023, please click here.
In October 2023, Nua’s Mental Health Services underwent their very first accreditation process with CARF under the service category of “Residential Treatment: Integrated: IDD/Mental Health (Adults)”. CARF assessed a total of 1,400 standards of practice within 18 areas of Nua's operations and very impressively, the Assessor made no recommendations, and we surpassed our remarkable score from February 2023, by achieving 100%. The evaluation included in-depth interviews, reports and document reviews, vehicle inspections, virtual house tours, and conversations with individuals residing in Nua’s Mental Health Community-Based Residences.
Upon receiving our accreditation, the President / CEO of CARF, Brian Boon, said: ‘Please note that the enclosed accreditation report identifies no recommendations. This accomplishment is achieved on only 3% of all CARF surveys'.
Here are some extracts from the October 2023 report:
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Nua truly focuses giving its utmost attention and energy to those who are engaged in its residential services. Regardless of title, position, department, educational level, or employment status, every staff member is attentive and focused on areas of improvement in the quality of care, which ensures the safety, security, autonomy, and personal growth of those they provide services to.
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All individuals served reported that their needs, no matter how great or small, are met and that they are always heard and support. It is apparent that every interaction that takes place with any person engaged in services is presented with positive encouragement. The individuals served verbalised that their lives are different due to their engagement with Nua Healthcare Services.
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All direct personnel are complimented for their engagement and support of assisting individuals served in developing the skills needed for their personal engagement in community activities that support their level of comfortability.
To read our CARF accreditation report from October 2023, please click here.
National Autistic Society (NAS) Autism Accreditation
“The National Autistic Society’s (UK) Autism Accreditation Programme is the UK’s only autism-specific quality assurance programme of support and development for all those providing services to autistic people. Achieving accreditation proves that an organisation is committed to understanding autism and setting the standard for autism practice.” National Autistic Society UK.
Nua Healthcare Services is proud to have been the first internationally accredited provider of autism services for adults in the Republic of Ireland in 2009, and since then, has successfully attained renewed autism accredited status through the National Autistic Society for 11 of its adult residential services for individuals with autism.
Nua’s Adult Residential Services with Autism Accredited status include:
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Kilbride House
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Taliesin House & Log Cabins
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Killeen Lodge
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The Willows
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Winterdown
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Fern Lodge
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Riverrun
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The Haven
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Greenacres
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Springfield
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Morella House
To read more about our NAS accreditation, please click here.
Mental Health Commission (MHC)
- Regulatory Body for Mental Health Services
The Mental Health Commission is an independent body that was set up in 2002. Its functions are set out in the Mental Health Act 2001; to promote, encourage and foster high standards and good practices in the delivery of mental health services and to protect the interests of patients.
There are a variety of mental health service types which are provided in both in-patient and community settings in Ireland. Services include general adult mental health services, as well as mental health services for children and adolescents, older people, people with intellectual disabilities and forensic mental health services.