To ask the Minister of Health (i) for his assessment of the complaints procedure and analysis of complaints within a care home; and (ii) to detail any plans he has to create an independent advocacy service to oversee a resident’s complaints to ensure the complaints procedure is not solely overseen, assessed and acted upon by the care provider.

Care home residents currently have the right to make a complaint under the extant HSC Complaints Procedure. Where a complainant is dissatisfied with the outcome of the HSC Complaints Procedure, they will be advised of their right to refer their complaint to the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman (NIPSO).

NIPSO can carry out independent investigations into complaints about poor treatment or service or the administrative actions of HSC organisations. NIPSO also has powers to investigate complaints about social care decisions.

The Patient and Client Council can also assist if people are unhappy with the outcome of a process or review or the way in which it was conducted and can assist people to make a complaint to a Health and Social Care organisation or a submission to NIPSO.

Separately, NIPSO is also progressing a programme of reform to create common complaints handling standards for all bodies across the public sector. My Department is committed to working closely with NIPSO, where appropriate, to deliver on this important programme of work.

The Department has no current plans to create an independent advocacy service.