To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety how often the Regulation Quality and Improvement Authority (RQIA) are required to complete individual inspections of private care homes; and for his assessment of the rationale behind care homes being given prior notice of impending RQIA inspections.

Under the Regulation and Improvement Authority (Fees and Frequency of Inspections) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005, RQIA is required to conduct a minimum of two inspections in every 12 month period at nursing, residential care and children’s homes. These inspections may be announced or unannounced.

Whilst the majority of RQIA’s inspections are unannounced, announced inspections provide RQIA an opportunity to receive information from the service in advance of inspection, which is then validated through inspection. These also provide friends, family members, residents/patients and visiting professionals an opportunity to be present in the home during an inspection and to share their experiences of the service with the inspector.

Where RQIA is following up concerns or disclosures, including those raised by whistleblowers, the associated inspections are unannounced.