Care home watchdog RQIA gets six new board appointments

The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority inspects care homes in NI

Six new members have been appointed to the board of the watchdog that oversees NI's care homes.

The appointments to the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) board were announced by Health Minister Robin Swann.

Mr Swann said the RQIA non-executive members (NEM) were taking on "key roles" at a "crucial time".

All members of the previous board stood down in June following a row over the handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

They claimed they were not consulted on a number of decisions taken by the Department of Health - including ending inspections of care homes and re-deploying senior RQIA staff to other health bodies.

'Widely experienced and expert members'

According to the Department of Health, a report by an independent review into the resignations is being "finalised".

A spokeswoman said it was "expected to be submitted to the department later this month".

The RQIA is the independent body responsible for monitoring and inspecting the availability and quality of health and social care services in Northern Ireland, and encouraging improvements in the quality of those services.

• Home inspectors did not visit residents for weeks

• RQIA review 'lacks credibility' says ex-board

• Health watchdog board resigns over coronavirus row

• Families renew calls for care homes inquiry

The new interim board members include Queen's University pro-vice chancellor for Medicine Professor Stuart Elborn, Suzanne Rice, senior vice president of the Northern Ireland Law Society ,and experienced social worker Jacqueline McGarvey.

"I am delighted to see the minister's appointment of six widely experienced and expert members to RQIA's Board," RQIA interim chair Christine Collins said.

"We will work to ensure that RQIA makes a full contribution to the task of transforming and rebuilding our health and social care system, with the needs of service users and improvement to the safety and quality of services as the centre of attention."

Robin Swann said the new board members were taking on the role at a "crucial time"

The board will combine "skills, from the fields of nursing, medicine, law, social work, finance and administration, together with their passion for excellence in health and social care" to lead the watchodog, she added.

The new appointees will sit alongside RQIA's interim non-executive chair Christine Collins and its interim chief executive Dr Tony Stevens and can stay in post for up to a year - or until permanent NEM appointments are made.

Mr Swann said: "I am very pleased to announce these appointments. The breadth of the expertise and experience of the new interim board members speaks for itself."

The minister added: "I would like to thank them for being prepared to take on these key roles at this crucial time.

"I look forward to working with the new members as they take up their roles."