What are Standards?

Standards are statements that outline what level of service you can expect to be provided, and how it will be provided.

What are the benefits of standards?

For YOU as a service user

Tell you what you can expect from a service
Give you greater awareness of your rights and responsibilities
Give you confidence in the quality of services
Provide you with the opportunity to have a say in the development and review of services

For YOU as a service provider

Improve outcomes for people who use your service
Opportunities for your staff to improve their skills
A way to use your resources better
Give you a tool to plan and improve your processes and systems
Satisfy accountability requirements

What is quality?

Quality is meeting (and where possible exceeding) the assessed needs and defined expectations of the service user through efficient and effective management and processes.

What is the NDA's role in relation to standards and quality?

The National Disability Authority (NDA) was established in June 2000 as an independent statutory body under the Department of Justice, Euality and Law reform.

Three of the core functions of the NDA (as outlined in the NDA Act 1999, section 8) are:

To advise the Minister on appropriate standards for programmes and services provided or to be provided for persons with disabilities.
To monitor the implementation of standards and codes of practice in programmes and services provided to persons with disabilities and to report to the Minister thereon.
To recognise the achievement of good standards and quality in the provision of programmes and services to persons with disabilities.

Further Information

To find out more about the development of standards both nationally and internationally contact the NDA Standards Unit on 01 608 0400 or email standards@nda.ie

Page last updated: 05/05/2011