To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety for his assessment of the current regulation concerning the quality of care for vulnerable and older people in care homes.

The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) has responsibility to regulate a wide range of specified services delivered by both HSC bodies and the independent sector, including nursing homes and residential care homes. My Department published minimum care standards for both nursing and residential care homes in 2008. RQIA uses these standards and the corresponding regulations as the basis for regulation of the sectors. These standards set the benchmark for the quality of care that residents can expect to receive.

In 2013, my Department began a review of the minimum standards for nursing homes and the revised standards are currently undergoing public consultation.

My Department is also taking forward the development of the Adult Safeguarding Policy in partnership with the Department of Justice, to: ‘introduce a package of measures aimed at improving safeguarding outcomes for children and vulnerable adults across Northern Ireland’. The objectives supporting this policy will range from the prevention of adult abuse through implementation of good safeguarding arrangements, to effective protective responses from lead protection agencies when adult abuse occurs or is suspected. The intention is to publish the finalised policy in 2015.