AQW 24313/22-27
Miss Nuala McAllister
Alliance Party
North Belfast
Tabled Date: 12/03/2025
Answered On Date: 28/03/2025
Priority Written: No
Question:
To ask the Minister of Health for an update on the work of the Social Care Collaborative Forum in relation to care home standards.
Answer:
A Working Group, chaired by my Department has been established to undertake a review of both Nursing and Residential Care Home Standards. The review will involve ongoing collaboration and engagement with relevant social care stakeholders to ensure there is clarity between what is considered to be best practice and what will be measured under the inspection frameworks. This review will allow my Department to implement relevant learning and will assist with wider implementation of the Enhanced Clinical Care Framework. Following the initial meeting of the Working Group my Department engaged external support to undertake a benchmarking exercise to assess the existing Standards (and supporting documentation) against relevant external reports, recent developments, guidance, policy and procedures. The purpose of this exercise was to identify potential gaps and revisions that may be necessary to ensure the Standards are reflective of current best practice and guidance. We have received this report and are currently considering next steps.
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