Regulator profile

RQIA

Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority

Enforcement Regulator Northern Ireland

What RQIA does

Independent regulator for health and social care services in Northern Ireland. Registers and inspects hospitals, care homes, dental practices, and other care settings.

NI equivalent of CQC.

Care RegulationHealth Inspection

Contact RQIA

Official guidance from RQIA

Curated guidance documents to help you understand your obligations.

Future regulatory reform (RQIA successor body) (opens in a new tab)

Detailed Guidance · Northern Ireland

Minimum Care Standards (various) (opens in a new tab)

Detailed Guidance · Northern Ireland

Legislation that RQIA directly enforces.

Primary legislation

Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972 Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 Health and Personal Social Services Act (Northern Ireland) 2001 Health and Personal Social Services (Quality, Improvement and Regulation) (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 Health and Social Care (Reform) Act (Northern Ireland) 2009 Mental Capacity Act (Northern Ireland) 2016

Secondary legislation

Children's Homes Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005 Northern Ireland Statutory Rule Independent Health Care Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005 Northern Ireland Statutory Rule Nursing Agencies Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005 Northern Ireland Statutory Rule Nursing Homes Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005 Northern Ireland Statutory Rule Residential Care Homes Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005 Northern Ireland Statutory Rule The Regulation and Improvement Authority (Registration) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005 Northern Ireland Statutory Rule Day Care Setting Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007 Northern Ireland Statutory Rule Domiciliary Care Agencies Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007 Northern Ireland Statutory Rule The Adult Placement Agencies Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007 Northern Ireland Statutory Rule The Voluntary Adoption Agencies Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 Northern Ireland Statutory Rule

Legislation connected to RQIA’s remit but not directly enforced — establishing Acts, amendments, referenced legislation, and context.

Amendments / commencements

Registered Homes (Northern Ireland) Order 1992 UK Act of Parliament

Referenced in enforcement

Disability Discrimination Act 1995 UK Act of Parliament Human Rights Act 1998 UK Act of Parliament Commissioner for Older People Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 UK Act of Parliament Safeguarding Board Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 UK Act of Parliament Data Protection Act 2018 UK Act of Parliament Health and Social Care Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 UK Act of Parliament

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