AQW 51148/22-27

Miss Nuala McAllister
Alliance Party
North Belfast

Tabled Date: 07/09/2026
Answered On Date: 27/09/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health for an update on the review of the delegation of healthcare interventions to social care practitioners employed via direct payments.

Answer:

My Department's Chief Nursing Officer commissioned the Northern Ireland Practice and Education Council for Nursing and Midwifery (NIPEC), to undertake a review of the delegation of healthcare tasks within Direct Payments arrangements.

The review has been informed through engagement with key stakeholders, including individuals with lived experience and representative organisations, to better understand current practice and identify sustainable approaches that support the safe and effective delegation of healthcare, in line with relevant legislative and professional frameworks.

The review is now nearing completion, with the final report expected shortly.