Nua Healthcare, with ten specialist residential facilities throughout Laois and Kildare, has become the first internationally accredited Autism service provider in the Republic of Ireland. The UK-based National Autistic Society (NAS) awarded accredited status to Nua Healthcare at their facility in Barrowbank, Portarlington, the first residential centre for adolescents with Asperger Syndrome in Ireland. The award was in recognition of the high quality of residential care provided by the organisation.

Nua Healthcare Services provides crucial specialised residential, respite and day services to individuals with Autism, Asperger Syndrome and Learning Disabilities. The organisation has grown significantly over the past five years and currently employs over 100 full time staff in the Kildare and Laois areas.

Minister John Maloney attended the announcement in Portarlington. He commented “I am delighted to be here today to celebrate Nua Healthcare’s accreditation. The unique service that Nua Healthcare provides is of immeasurable benefit to people living with Asperger Syndrome and Autism in Ireland.  Nua is also of particular importance to this area in terms of the job creation, especially against the current economic backdrop.”

Edward Dunne, Managing Director of Nua Healthcare said “We are absolutely delighted to have achieved accredited status with such high commendations. We have always strived to be the best in the field and achieving this status is a credit to all of our front-line staff who have worked so hard over the past few years to get our service to where it is today.”

Lydia Daniels, Director of the National Autistic Society congratulated Nua Healthcare at the launch and said “Nua Healthcare has achieved accredited status within twelve months of registering onto the programme. This is an exceptional achievement that is rarely completed within this timeframe. The robustness of the organisation is recognised by their proactive measures to seek external recognition of their achievements and in doing so become accredited by an internationally recognised organisation.”

The accreditation process involved the assessment of 17 core standards in relation to disability services, which are similar to those identified by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) in Ireland. Nua Healthcare was then assessed on a further 15 standards which are specific to Autism care, making this accreditation process even more stringent than HIQA's.

Nua Healthcares approach is to design a service around each person as opposed to trying to fit a “square peg in a round hole”. Each individual with Asperger Syndrome can have very specific interests which need to be supported. A service is currently being developed for one individual who loves tractors. A rusty vintage tractor and a mechanics teacher have been sourced for a full restoration project. Activities for other individuals include gardening, art, computers, cooking and independent living skills training.

Asperger Syndrome, which is part of the Autism Spectrum, is believed to affect roughly 1 in 300 people. The condition typically affects a person’s ability to socialise and communicate effectively with others. Individuals with the condition are four times more likely to get bullied during adolescence than the general population which can often lead to total withdrawal from social opportunities.  As a result of these social difficulties, these individuals are significantly more likely to develop mental health problems such as anxiety disorders and depression.

The international accreditation provides peace of mind for those using the facilities, as well as their families, who know they are receiving services from an organisation that adheres to international standards for quality of care.