Minister announces launch of new standards for care homes

Health Minister Michael McGimpsey today announced the introduction of new care standards for nursing and residential care homes.

The standards represent the minimum requirements which providers of these services must achieve, and clarify the level of service care home residents can expect to receive.

Minimum care standards are also being developed for a range of care services, including children's homes, independent hospitals and nursing agencies.

The Minister said: "The introduction of minimum standards of care for regulated health and social care services is a key element in my Department's drive to raise the quality and safety of health and social care services. These standards will apply across the statutory and independent sectors in Northern Ireland."

The standards will be used by the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority, the regulatory body for health and social services, as part of their programme of registration and inspection of care homes, to assess and report on the quality of services delivered.

Mr McGimpsey added: "The standards will help to ensure a greater consistency in the quality of services provided across Northern Ireland, and will help to safeguard people who use the services. They will be of benefit both to service users and service providers.

"Care home residents and their families will have a clear understanding of the quality of service they should expect from a home.

"At the same time, service providers will have a clear understanding of the level of service they are expected to deliver, and can be confident that inspection will be based on consistent standards across Northern Ireland."

The Minister concluded: "I am determined that all those who need to use health and social services in Northern Ireland can do so confident in the knowledge that all possible steps have been taken to ensure that the services they encounter are both safe and of the highest quality.

"The publication of the new standards represents an important step towards achieving this goal.”

Notes to Editors:

1. The care standards for nursing and residential homes are the first in a series of standards to be published by the Department. They will be used by the regulatory watchdog body, the RQIA, to register and inspect care homes in both the statutory and independent sectors.
2. The standards were developed in partnership with service users, providers and commissioners and were subject to an extensive public consultation process. Hard copies of the standards will be distributed widely to interested parties.
3. The document is also available on the Department's website.
4. Further copies may be obtained by contacting Joe Feeney, Room D1.4, Castle Buildings, Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast BT4 3SF. Tel: 028 9052 2351. Fax: 028 9052 3206 E-mail: joe.feeney@dhsspsni.gov.uk
5. Media queries to DHSSPS Press Office on 02890 520074, or out of hours contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 076 9971 5440 and your call will be returned.