Quality

Overview of Learning & Development, Quality & Advocacy Department. (LDQA)

The BOCSISER is committed to the goals of quality assurance and continuous quality improvement. Partnerships with people who use services, families and local communities are seen as key to achieving these goals. Being a learning organisation that keeps abreast of new developments in the field of disability, and that incorporates international best practice into its operations is also seen as a central element of continuous quality improvement.

The core values of the BOCSISER are the dignity and humanity of each person. How these are expressed has evolved over time with our greater understanding of the rights of all people with a disability, with the changing hopes and expectations of individuals and families with whom we work, and with the growing expertise of all associated with our services.

Quality:
The BOCSISER believes that quality is defined by each individual receiving services, and is measured in terms of how well the services, as a whole, support each person to live a life of their choosing within their own communities.

Person Centred Planning, with an emphasis on the development of Circles of Support, is used to facilitate individuals in identifying and planning their goals in life.
A Key worker system ensures continuity and individual support for people.
The Council on Quality and Leadership’s quality measurement tool; Personal Outcome Measures are used as the principal information gathering tool to support each person to thoroughly examine all aspects of his/her life and to plan accordingly.
Personal Outcome Measures is also our principle means of measuring the quality of services and supports from the perspective of people supported. The information gathered informs continued quality improvement in our services.

In summary our work to assure and enhance the quality of our services and supports is informed by our engagement with…

• The Council On Quality and Leadership (CQL): Accreditation and The Personal Outcome Measures
• The Health Information & Quality Authority (HIQA): The National standards for Residential Services for Children and Adults with Disabilities
• The HSE’s New Directions in Disability Day services.

Staff Learning & Development:
We recognise our staff members as our most important resource in providing an innovative, quality service to the people who use services and their families.

Staff learning & development needs are identified through a consultation process at all levels within the organization, and are based on the goal of achieving the organization’s stated aims and objectives.

These identified needs form the basis of our annual organizational Learning & Development plan created in December of each year for the following year.

Staff training is tracked through our national BOCSI training database which facilitates Managers, Team Leaders and Team members to keep up to date records of their training.

Advocacy:
Our commitment to and facilitation of Advocacy is key to ensuring that people we support are treated with respect and dignity.
We oversee and support Advocacy work through the strong Advocacy structures developed over many years.
These structures provide a forum whereby people supported are facilitated to speak out, be heard and exercise control over what happens in their lives.