To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail (i) what oversight his Department has for the provision of care by privately owned care homes; and (ii) for his assessment of the extent to which the provision of care within care homes is dependent upon private care providers.

(i) The Department sets and publishes minimum care standards for nursing and residential care homes, including privately owned care homes. These standards set the benchmark for the quality of care that residents can expect to receive and which no provider is expected to fall below in delivering such care. The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority is responsible for registering and inspecting nursing and residential care homes, including privately owned homes, to ensure homes comply with the regulations and standards set by the Department.

(ii) The care home sector in Northern Ireland is based on a “mixed economy of care” model in which the private sector plays a key role alongside statutory care providers. The private sector makes an important contribution to providing high quality care to older people across Northern Ireland.