Safety, Quality and Standards

The HPSS (Quality, Improvement and Regulation) (NI) Order 2003 allows for the regulation of a range of health and social care services, and for the development of minimum standards for these services. The Department is developing standards for regulated services across the statutory, voluntary and private sectors.

These standards focus on the safety, dignity, wellbeing and quality of life of service users. They are designed to address unacceptable variations in the standards of treatment, care and services and to raise the quality of services. They will be used by RQIA, alongside the requirements of regulations, in making decisions on regulation of establishments and agencies.

They will also assist organisations in assessing the quality of their service provision and will provide greater transparency for the public on the standard of care and treatment they can expect to receive.

Four sets of standards have now been published and can be accessed by following the links below.

Further standards covering the range of health and social care services regulated under the HPSS (Quality, Improvement and Regulation) (NI) Order 2003 will be published here in due course.

If you require further information about Care Standards, please contact, in the first instance;

Standards and Guidelines Quality Unit
Room D1:4
Castle Buildings
Stormont Estate
Belfast
BT4 3SQ

Tel: 02890 522351

Email: - standards@dhsspsni.gov.uk