To ask the Minister of Health whether his Department has undertaken any reviews or consultations on whether the current consent-based safeguarding system adequately protects individuals who may be experiencing abuse.

Following the widely publicised safeguarding failings at Muckamore Abbey Hospital and Dunmurry Manor Care Home, it was recognised that there was a need to review and improve the Department’s Adult Safeguarding policy. In September 2020, following the independent review into the situation at Muckamore Abbey Hospital, Minister Swann announced his intention to legislate, to provide a statutory footing to the policy around Adult Safeguarding. The Adult Protection Bill would introduce additional protections to strengthen and underpin in the adult protection process and would bring Northern Ireland in line with other parts of the UK where such legislation already exists.

A consultation on the proposed Adult Protection Bill ran for a period of 16 weeks from 17 December 2020 to 8 April 2021 where during this time there was 19 stakeholder sessions and 89 responses received. Officials from the Department of Health received, on 21 October 2021, Executive approval to start drafting.

My Department is developing an Adult Protection Bill which will introduce additional protections to strengthen and underpin the adult protection process. The Adult Protection Bill will see the introduction of a number of duties and powers to assist in inquiries and the protection of all adults at risk from harm, including those experiencing financial abuse. The Adult Protection Bill will also see the introduction of new offences regarding ill-treatment and neglect.

It is intended that the Adult Protection Bill will be introduced to the Assembly during this mandate.