Resources
Editorial content, reviewed external signals, research summaries, and policy updates relevant to regulated care services.
Latest Digest
Regulatory Signals — Week Ending 2 May 2026
This week: HIQA quarterly inspection report published, RQIA launches updated inspection tool for residential care, and new HSE circular on incident notification timelines.
Articles
A practical breakdown of the records HIQA inspectors typically review on arrival, and how to ensure your service is inspection-ready at all times — not just before a scheduled visit.
The difference between a compliant incident report and a useful one. How structure, timeliness, and follow-through determine whether incidents become learning or liability.
What to consider before digitising your care records — data protection, staff transition, regulatory acceptance, and what the paper trail still needs to cover.
External Signals
External sources reviewed by an editor. They do not represent the views of Salient Recovery.
HIQA published its annual overview of the regulatory landscape for 2025, covering inspection outcomes and emerging themes across disability, older persons, and children's services.
Directly relevant to all HIQA-regulated services using Acutis. Key themes around record completeness align with platform design principles.
RQIA published updated inspection methodology and priority focus areas for residential care in Northern Ireland, with increased emphasis on care planning documentation.
Relevant to all clients operating residential care services in Northern Ireland.
Tusla issued updated guidance on the acceptance and requirements for digital records in children's residential and foster care services, including system validation expectations.
Confirms regulatory acceptance of digital records for children's residential services when systems meet defined criteria.
The Mental Health Commission issued updated rules in late 2024 governing record-keeping obligations, seclusion recording requirements, and consent documentation in Approved Centres.
Directly affects the consent and seclusion recording workflows in Acutis for Approved Centre clients.
Research
Flanagan, M., O'Brien, C., Walsh, D. · Journal of Health Services Research & Policy
A systematic review of 34 studies examining the impact of electronic record systems on quality and safety outcomes in residential care settings. Findings indicate consistent associations between structured digital records and reduced incident severity and improved audit readiness.
Provides independent evidence for the clinical and operational benefits of structured digital record systems — directly relevant to the case Salient Recovery makes to prospective clients.
View source →McCarthy, P., Ryan, S. · Irish Journal of Medical Science
Analysis of 420 HIQA inspection reports across disability and older person services identifies record completeness, staff training records, and incident follow-through as the three strongest predictors of compliant inspection outcomes.
The three factors identified — record completeness, staff training records, and incident follow-through — are the exact operational areas Acutis is designed to address.
View source →Policy Updates
HIQA completed a review of the National Standards for Residential Services for Adults and Children with Disabilities, with revised guidance on care planning documentation, resident rights records, and complaints management.
Impact
Services should review their care plan templates and complaints records against the revised guidance. Acutis form library updates to reflect new requirements are planned for Q3 2026.
The DPC published updated guidance on the processing of health data under GDPR, covering electronic health records, data retention periods for care records, and the lawful basis for sharing records between care providers.
Impact
Relevant to all Acutis clients as Data Controllers. Key changes affect data retention periods and the lawful basis for inter-provider record sharing. Review your Data Processing Agreement in light of this guidance.
