Adult safeguarding to be put on statutory footing in Northern Ireland
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Mike Nesbitt
Legislation which will put adult safeguarding on a statutory footing has been introduced to the Northern Ireland Assembly.
The Adult Protection Bill will bring Northern Ireland in line with other parts of the UK, the Department of Health has said.
It follows the high-profile adult safeguarding failures in Dunmurry Manor Care Home and Muckamore Abbey Hospital, which led to a number of reports and reviews and fed into a consultation which took place between 2020 and 2021.
Health minister Mike Nesbitt said: “The failings that we have seen at places like Muckamore Abbey Hospital and Dunmurry Manor Care Home should never have happened in the first place and must never happen again.
“This bill is an important step to take in transforming our social care system and I hope that it will help to rebuild trust amongst those who have been let down in the past.
“I look forward to engaging with MLA colleagues as the Bill makes its way through the legislative process.”
The draft bill is based on seven principles, which should be adhered to by everyone involved in adult protection: prevention, autonomy, empowerment, dignity, proportionality, partnership and accountability.
New duties, powers and offences will also be introduced to strengthen and underpin the adult protection process.
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