HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE (REFORM) BILL
EXPLANATORY AND FINANCIAL MEMORANDUM
INTRODUCTION
1. This Explanatory and Financial Memorandum has been prepared by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in order to assist the reader of the Bill and to help inform debate on it. It does not form part of the Bill and has not been endorsed by the Assembly.
2. The Memorandum needs to be read in conjunction with the Bill. It does not, and is not meant to be, a comprehensive description of the Bill. So where a clause or part of a clause or schedule does not seem to require an explanation or comment, none is given.
BACKGROUND AND POLICY OBJECTIVES
3. The rationale behind the reform of the health and social care system is to put in place structures which are patient-led, patient-centred and responsive to the needs of patients, clients and carers as well as being more effective and efficient (releasing resources for investment in front line health and social care).
4. The purpose of the Bill will be to provide the legislative framework within which the proposed new health and social care structures can operate. It seeks to set out, as transparently as possible, the high level functions of the various health and social care bodies. The Bill seeks, either within the body of the Bill or by securing sufficient powers to make subordinate legislation, to establish the parameters within which each health and social care body will be permitted to operate and to establish the necessary governance and accountability arrangements which will support the effective delivery of health and social care in Northern Ireland.
CONSULTATION
5. A formal consultation exercise on the policy proposals informing the draft Health and Social Care (Reform) Bill was carried out during the period from 18 February 2008 until 12 May 2008. A list of the range of interests consulted is provided at Appendix 1 to this memorandum. Over the 12 week period the consultation process was informed by a considerable number of workshops with HSC organisations, the Voluntary and Community sector, the Department and one on Public Health. In addition, various meetings have taken place with a wide range of stakeholders including – HSS Councils, Trades Unions, the Assembly HSSPS Committee, NI Local Government Association, Directorate of Information Systems, Family Practitioners Services, Superannuation Branch, NI Confederation, Regulation and Improvement Authority, Health Promotion Agency, General Practitioners Commission, Royal College of GPs, Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, British Dental Association, and the Omnibus Partnership. Over 200 formal responses to the consultation were received. In general, there were many positive comments that welcomed the proposals for health and social care reform. A range of issues and suggestions were also highlighted and have been extremely helpful in informing consideration of the detail of the proposals.
OPTIONS CONSIDERED
6. The provision of health and social care in Northern Ireland is currently provided for by the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972 (the 1972 Order). The 1972 Order is now some 36 years old and has been significantly amended over the years. One option was to introduce a new single piece of primary legislation in order to consolidate all existing enactments as was the case in England and Wales. The timescale within which the new arrangements need to be in place, however, prevented such an all-embracing approach.
7. Another approach would have been to replace the delegation model which underpins the existing legislation. In this model, all the functions are cascaded down from the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to HSC organisations. The alternative would involve defining the functions of the new bodies on the face of the proposed Bill. Such a rigidly defined approach would, however, have been problematic given the breadth of functions which need to be defined at each level of the system and the pace of change in the way health and social care is delivered.
OVERVIEW
8. The Bill has 35 clauses and 7 Schedules. It comprises 10 headings: Restructuring of administration of health and social care – covers the restructuring of health and social care bodies; Department’s role in promoting and providing health and social care – consists of 5 clauses and outlines the general duties, powers and priorities of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (“the Department”); The Regional Board - consists of 5 clauses and provides for the establishment of the Regional Health and Social Care Board. It also covers the functions of the Regional Board and outlines its objectives; Regional Agency- consists of 2 clauses and provides for the establishment of the Regional Agency for Public Health and Social Well-being; RBSO - consists of 2 clauses and provides for the establishment of the Regional Business Services Organisation; Patient representation and public involvement – establishes the Patient and Client Council, covers the functions of the Patient and Client Council and deals with the need for health and social care bodies to consult with service users and produce consultation schemes; HSC trusts – places a duty on HSC trusts in relation to the improvement of health and social well-being; Public-private partnerships – provides for the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, the Regional Health and Social Care Board, the Health and Social Care trusts, the RBSO, special agencies and the Regional Agency to form, or participate in forming, public-private partnerships; Transfer of assets, liabilities and functions - deals with the dissolution of various health and social care bodies and the transfer of assets, liabilities and functions; Supplementary – provides for the Department to make supplementary provisions as it thinks necessary and makes general provisions in respect of subordinate legislation, amendments and repeals. It also sets out the title and commencement dates and includes interpretation provisions.
9. Schedule 1 sets out the constitution of the Regional Health and Social Care Board, Schedule 2 covers the establishment of the Regional Agency for Public Health and Social Well-being , Schedule 3 provides for the establishment of the Regional Business Services Organisation, Schedule 4 covers the establishment of the Patient and Client Council, Schedule 5 provides for the transfer of assets and liabilities and outlines the arrangements for the completion of annual reports and accounts of dissolved bodies. Schedule 6 deals with minor and consequential amendments to other legislation and Schedule 7 deals with repeals of other legislation.
COMMENTARY ON CLAUSES
A commentary on the provisions follows below. Comments are not given where the wording is self-explanatory.
Clause 1: Restructuring of administration of health and social care
Provides for the restructuring of the administration of health and social care. It provides for the dissolution of the Health and Social Services Councils Central Services Agency, Health and Social Services Boards, and Mental Health Commission. It also provides that Health and Social Services trusts will be known as Health and Social Care trusts, special health and social services agencies will be known as special health and social care agencies, and the Health and Personal Social Services Regulation and Improvement Authority will be known as the Health and Social Care Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority.
Clause 2: Department’s general duty
Sets out the Department’s general duty in relation to the provision of health and social care in Northern Ireland. For example, the Department has the duty to promote an integrated system of health and social care designed to secure improvement in the physical and mental health and social well-being of people in Northern Ireland. Among other things, the Department also has a duty to develop policies for reducing health inequalities between the people in Northern Ireland
Clause 3: Department’s general power
Sets out the Department’s general power and provides that the Department may provide or secure the provision of such health and social care as it considers appropriate to the discharge of its duty.
Clause 4: Department’s priorities and objectives
Requires the Department to determine and, where appropriate, revise priorities and objectives in relation to the provision of health and social care. In setting such objectives, there is an onus on the Department to consult with such bodies or persons as it considers appropriate. The clause also provides the Department with the power to give directions without consulting in cases where the urgency of the matter necessitates it but requires the Department in cases where the duty to consult has been set aside because of the urgency of the matter, to report retrospectively to all appropriate bodies or persons as to its reason for taking this course of action.
Clause 5: The framework document
Requires the Department to prepare a framework document which sets out the main priorities, objectives, guidance and other matters for each health and social care body in connection with the carrying out of its functions. The Department must also keep the framework document under review and may, from time to time, revise it.
Clause 6: Power of Department to give directions to certain bodies
Provides a power for the Department to give directions (either general or specific) to the Regional Health and Social Care Board, Regional Agency for Public Health and Social Well-being and Regional Business Services Organisation as to how they should carry out their functions. The Department is also required to consult with those bodies before issuing directions but the clause also provides the Department with the power to give directions without consulting in cases where the urgency of the matter necessitates it but requires the Department in cases where the duty to consult has been set aside because of the urgency of the matter, to report retrospectively to all appropriate bodies or persons as to its reason for taking this course of action.
Clause 7: The Regional Health and Social Care Board
Provides for the establishment of the Regional Health and Social Care Board (Regional Board). It also introduces Schedule 1 which deals with the constitution of the Regional Board and also covers supplementary provisions including committees, sub-committees, finance and accounts of the Regional Board.
Clause 8: Functions of the Regional Board
Sets out the functions of the Regional Board as being those transferred to it from existing Health and Social Services Boards and any other functions which the Department directs it to exercise.
Clause 9: Local Commissioning Groups
Requires the Regional Board to appoint a prescribed number of Local Commissioning Groups and provides that in exercising their functions, these groups should have regard to, inter alia, improving the health and well-being of people in the area within which the Local Commissioning Group exercises its functions and improving the availability and quality of health and social care in that area.
Clause 10: Power of Regional Board to give directions and guidance to HSC trusts
Provides a power for the Regional Board to issue guidance to Health and Social Care trusts as to how they are to carry out all their functions and, where a Trust fails to have regard to such guidance, to issue directions (either general or specific) to that Trust as to the manner in which it should carry out that function.
Clause 11: Provision of information, etc. to Regional Board by HSC trusts
Requires Health and Social Care trusts to provide the Regional Board with relevant information and reports in relation to their functions. The clause also provides that the information must be recorded in such a form and kept for such a time as the Regional Board may require.
Clause 12: The Regional Agency for Public Health and Social Well-being
Provides for the establishment of the Regional Agency for Public Health and Social Well-being. It also introduces Schedule 2 which deals with the constitution of the Regional Agency for Public Health and Social Well-being and covers supplementary provisions including its committees, sub-committees, finance and accounts.
Clause 13: Functions of the Regional Agency
Sets out the functions of the Regional Agency for Public Health and Social Well-being in relation to the areas of health improvement and health protection. The clause also provides that in exercising its functions, the Regional Agency for Public Health and Social Well-being must co-operate with other bodies which exercise functions relating to health improvement or protection.
Clause 14: The Regional Business Services Organisation
Provides for the establishment of the Regional Business Services Organisation. It also introduces Schedule 3 which deals with the constitution of the Regional Business Services Organisation and covers supplementary provisions including its committees, sub-committees, finance and accounts.
Clause 15: Functions of RBSO
Sets out the functions of the Regional Business Services Organisation and places a duty on the Regional BusinessServices Organisation to put in place arrangements which will secure the provision of those services in the most economic, efficient and effective way.
Clause 16: The Patient and Client Council
Provides for the establishment of the Patient and Client Council. It also introduces Schedule 4 which sets out detailed arrangements for the operation of the Patient and Client Council, and deals with its status, constitution, remuneration, staffing, procedures, finance and annual reports.
Clause 17: Functions of the Patient and Client Council
Sets out the functions and certain requirements placed on the Patient and Client Council. These functions include: representing the interests of the public, promoting the involvement of the public, providing assistance to individuals making or intending to make a complaint relating to health and social care and promoting the provision by the Department and health and social care bodies of advice and information to the public about the design, commissioning and delivery of health and social care. The clause also provides that the Patient and Client Council shall carry out research into the best methods for consulting with the public about involving them in health and social care and to provide advice about these methods to certain health and social care bodies.
Clause 18: Duty to co-operate with the Patient and Client Council
Requires certain health and social care bodies to co-operate with the Patient and Client Council in carrying out its functions. Furthermore, it requires those health and social care bodies to have due regard to advice provided by the Patient and Client Council about the health and social care for which that particular body is responsible.
Clause 19: Public involvement and consultation
Requires the Department, Regional Health and Social Care Board, Regional Agency for Public Health and Social Well-being, Health and Social Care trusts, and special agencies to promote information about the health and social care for which they are responsible and to seek views from the recipients of health and social care either directly or through representative bodies. It also requires the health and social care bodies to prepare a consultation scheme in accordance with clause 20.
Clause 20: Public involvement: consultation schemes
Requires the Department, Regional Health and Social Care Board, Regional Agency for Public Health and Social Well-being, Health and Social Care trusts, and special agencies to show, in their consultation schemes, what arrangements are in place to consult with the Patient and Client Council and recipients of health and social care. The consultation scheme will also need to prepare a written statement which summarises the comments received and sets out the health and social care body’s response to those comments.
Clause 21: Duty on HSCtrusts in relation to improvement of health and social well-being
Places a duty on each HSC trust to exercise its functions with the aim of improving the health and social well-being of those for whom it provides or may provide health and social care.
Clause 22: Public-private partnerships
Enables the Department, and certain health and social care bodies to form, or participate in forming, public-private partnerships to provide facilities or services for the promotion or provision of health and social care.
Clause 23: Schemes for transfer of assets and liabilities
Requires the Department to make a scheme or schemes for the transfer of assets and liabilities of a health and social care body that has been dissolved. It also introduces Schedule 5 which deals the transfer of assets and liabilities and outlines the arrangements for the completion of annual reports and accounts of health and social care bodies that have been dissolved.
Clause 24: Transfer of functions of Health and Social Services Boards
Provides for the transfer of certain functions of the existing Health and Social Services Boards to the Regional Agency for Public Health and Social Well-being or to the Regional Health and Social Care Board.
Clause 25: Transfer of functions of the Mental Health Commission
Provides for the transfer of the functions exercisable by the Mental Health Commission to the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority.
Clause 26: Transfer of functions of Central Services Agency
Provides for the transfer of the functions exercisable by the Central Services Agency to the Regional BusinessServices Organisation.
Clause 27: Amendment of statutory and other references to dissolved bodies, etc
Applies to clauses 24, 25 and 26 and deals with amendments to any statutory and other references to health and social care bodies that have been dissolved.
Clause 28: Dissolution of special agencies
Provides for the dissolution of special agencies.
Clause 29: Orders, regulations, guidance and directions
Contains provision about the procedure for making subordinate legislation under the Bill and provides that any guidance issued or directions given by the Department may be varied or revoked by subsequent guidance or directions.
Clause 30: Further provision
Allows the Department to make further provision in connection with implementing the Bill.
Clause 31: Interpretation
Applies the Interpretation Act ( Northern Ireland) 1954 to the Bill and defines other terms.
Clause 32: Minor and consequential amendments
Introduces Schedule 6 which deals with amendments to other legislation as a result of the Bill.
Clause 33: Repeals
Introduces Schedule 7 which contains repeals of other legislation as a result of the Bill.
Clause 34: Commencement
Stipulates when the provisions of the Bill will come into operation either from a date set out in the Bill or a date subsequently decided by the Department.
Clause 35: Short title
Sets out the title of the Bill.
FINANCIAL EFFECTS OF THE BILL
10. The Review of Public Administration will produce a reduction of management and administrative costs. It is anticipated that the overall savings target could amount to reductions in administrative costs in excess of more than £53 million by April 2011, to be re-invested in front line services.
HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES
11. The provisions of the Bill are compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.
EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT
12. The consultationdocument included an Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) which concluded that, although the proposals may have an adverse impact on some of the section 75 groups, procedures would be designed to ensure that there is no unlawful direct or indirect discrimination against any particular individual or group. To further inform the Department’s information in this regard, the implications of the proposals in terms of equality, and the availability of evidence, were specifically addressed in the questions posed in the Consultation Response Questionnaire. Equality was also a significant element of the workshops hosted by the Department during the consultation. These included sessions organised by the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA) and the Community Development and Health Network (CDHN) which involved a broad range of community and voluntary representatives and section 75 groups. The outcome of the workshops and the responses to the consultation in terms of equality have been carefully considered to inform decisions on the proposals, and further screening will be undertaken as appropriate on issues such as location.
SUMMARY OF THE REGULATORY IMPACT ASSESSMENT
13. As the Bill imposes no costs or savings, or negligible costs or savings on business, charities, social economy enterprises or the voluntary sector, a Regulatory Impact Appraisal was not considered necessary.
LEGISLATIVE COMPETENCE
14. The Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety had made the following statement under section 9 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998:
“In my view the Health and Social Care (Reform) Bill would be within the legislative competence of the Northern Ireland Assembly.”
SECRETARY OF STATE CONSENT
15. A statement is required under section 10(3)(b) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, on Secretary of State consent:
"The Secretary of State has consented under section 10(3)(b) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 to the Assembly considering this Bill."
RANGE OF INTERESTS CONSULTED
APPENDIX 1
Abbeyfield Society (NI Region)
AIDS Helpline
Accident Medical Negligence Association
Accord Catholic Marriage Counselling Service
Action Cancer
Action Mental Health
Action MS
Action on Elder Abuse
Adopt
Advice NI
Afro-Asian Residents Group NI
Age Concern (NI)
Age Sector Reference Group
Al-Anon Family Group
Al-Nisa Association
Alcohol Awareness for Youth
Amalgamated Transport & GW Union
Alzheimer’s Society
Amicus
An Munia Tober
Animate Project
Arthritis Research Campaign
Arthritis Care (NI)
Asthma UK NI
Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus
Association of Crossroads Care Attendants Schemes
Association of Directors of Social Services
Association of Executive Directors of Social Work
Association of Independent Advice Centres
Association of Local Authorities in Northern Ireland
Association of Northern Ireland Colleges
Association of Trust Directors of Social Work
Baptist Union of Ireland
Barnardos
Beeches Management Centre
Belfast Brook Advisory Centre
Belfast Hebrew Congregation
Blind Centre for Northern Ireland
Belfast Outreach Centre
Belfast Pride
Belfast Solicitors Association
Board of Social Witness, Presbyterian Church in Ireland
British Association of Social Workers (NI)
British Deaf Association (NI)
British Dental Association
British Diabetic Association
British Dietetic Association
British Fluoridation Society
British Geriatric Society (NI)
British Orthoptic Society
British Psychological Society (NI Branch) (for health matters relating to Psychology only)
British Red Cross
Bryson House
British Medical Association (NI)
Butterfly Club
Cancer Relief – Macmillan Fund
Carafriend
Care for NI
Carers National Association (NI)
Catholic Bishops of Northern Ireland
Cedar Foundation
Central Personal Social Services Advisory
Central Services Agency
Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
Chief Officers 3 rd Sector (CO3)
Child Action Prevention Trust
Child Care (NI) Centre
Child Poverty Action Group
Children in NI
Children’s Day Nursery Association
Children’s Law Centre
Chinese Welfare Association
Church of Ireland Board for Social Responsibility (NI)
Clerk of Petty Sessions (Laganside Courts)
Coalition on Sexual Orientation (COSO)
College of Occupational Therapists
Committee for the Administration of Justice (CAJ)
Community Addiction Team
Community Development and Health Network
Community Evaluation (NI)
Community Information Network NI (CINNI)
Community Foundation for Northern Ireland
Community Relations Council
Community Work Education and Training Network
Confederation of British Industry (NI Branch)
Confederation of Community Groups
Conservation Volunteers (NI)
Co-operation Ireland
Corrymeela Community
Councils – City, District and Borough (26 of)
Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS)
Council for the Advancement of Communication with Deaf People
Council for the Homeless
Council on Social Responsibility, Methodist Church in Ireland
Counteract
Craigavon Asian Women’s Centre
Craigavon Chinese Community Association
Craigavon Vietnamese Club
Cruse Bereavement Care
Derry Travellers Support Group
Derry Well Women
Diabetes UK
Disability Action
Down Cardiac Support Group
Down & Connor Family Ministry
Downs Syndrome Association
Dunlevey Substance Advice Centre
East Belfast Community Development Agency
Economic Research Institute for Northern Ireland (ERINI)
Education and Library Boards (5 of)
Employers’ Forum on Disability
Equality 2000
Equality Commission
Equality Forum (NI)
European Infertility Network Ltd
Executive Council of the Inn of Court of NI
Extern Organisation
Extra Care
Faculty of Accident & Emergency Medicine
Falls Community Council
Family Care Society
Family Planning Association NI
Federation of Small Businesses
Fermanagh Women’s Network
Fire Brigade Union
First Key (NI)
Food Standards Agency
Food Safety Promotion Board
Forum for Action on Substance Abuse
Forum for Community Work Education (NI)
Fostering Network NI
Four Seasons Healthcare
Foyle Down’s Syndrome Trust
Foyle Friend
Foyle Women’s Aid
Gay and Lesbian Youth Northern Ireland
General Consumer Council for NI
General Medical Council
Gingerbread Northern Ireland
GMB Union
Guide Dogs for the Blind Association
Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists
Harmony Community Trust
Health Promotion Agency
Health and Social Services Boards (4 of)
Health and Social Services Councils (4 of)
Health and Social Care Trusts (6 of)
Help the Aged
His Eminence the Archbishop of Armagh
HM Council of County Court Judges
Home Start (NI)
Human Rights Commission
Include Youth
Independent Living Fund
Indian Community Care
Inland Revenue
Institute of Directors ( Northern Ireland)
Institute of Professional Legal Studies
Institute of Public Health
Irish Congress of Trade Unions – NI Committee
Issue, the National Fertility Association
Japan Society of NI
Judicial Appointments Commission
La Societa Italiana Irlanda Del Norde
Law Centre (NI)
Law Reform Advisory Committee
Law Society of NI
Lesbian Line
Life (NI)
Manufacturing Science & Finance Union
Marie Curie Cancer Care (Belfast)
Mediation NI
MENCAP
Mental Health Commission
Ministry of Defence
Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland
Moore, Tim (Research & Library Services, Northern Ireland Assembly)
Mulholland After-Care Services
Multi-Cultural Group
Multi-Cultural Resource Centre
Multiple Sclerosis Society (NI)
National Deaf Children’s Society
National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC)
Nevis Healthcare
NEWPIN (Foyle NI)
Newry and Mourne Senior Citizens’ Consortium
Newry and Mourne Women
Newtownabbey Senior Citizens’ Forum
Nexus Institute for NI
NIPSA
North West Community Network
North West Ethnic Communities Association
North West Forum of People with Disabilities
Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, House of Commons
Northern Ireland African Cultural Centre
Northern Ireland Anti-Poverty Network
Northern Ireland Association for Mental Health
Northern Ireland Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (NIACRO)
Northern Ireland Association of GP Fundholding Practices
Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Agency
Northern Ireland Cancer Registry
Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce
Northern Ireland Chest, Heart and Stroke Association
Northern Ireland Child Minding Association (NICMA)
Northern Ireland Citizens Advice Bureau
Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People
Northern Ireland Confederation for Health and Social Services
Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities (NICEM)
Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA)
Northern Ireland Council on Alcohol
Northern Ireland Court Service
Northern Ireland Deaf Youth Association
Northern Ireland Federation of Housing Associations
Northern Ireland Federation of Private Members Non Profit making, Sports, Social &
Recreational Clubs
Northern Ireland Filipino Association
Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue
Northern Ireland Foster Care Association (NIFCA)
Northern Ireland Gay Rights Association (NIGRA)
Northern Ireland Government Departments Permanent Secretaries
Northern Ireland Guardian Ad Litem Agency
Northern Ireland Home Accident Prevention Council
Northern Ireland Hospice
Northern Ireland Local Government Association
Northern Ireland Regional Medical Physics Agency
Northern Ireland Medical & Dental Training Agency (NIMDTA)
Northern Ireland Members of the House of Lords
Northern Ireland Mother and Baby Action
Northern Ireland MPs, MEPs, MLAs
Northern Ireland Music Therapy Trust
Northern Ireland Office
Northern Ireland Ombudsman
Northern Ireland Political Party Leaders
Northern Ireland Practice and Education Council (NIPEC)
Northern Ireland Practice Managers Association
Northern Ireland Pre-School Playgroups Association (NIPPA)
Northern Ireland Resident Magistrates’ Association
Northern Ireland Social Care Council
Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA)
Northern Ireland Student Centre
Northern Ireland Volunteer Development Agency
Northern Ireland Women’s Aid Federation
Northern Ireland Women’s European Platform (NIWEP)
Northern Ireland Youth Forum
NUSUI Student Movement
Office of Fair Trading
Office of Law Reform
Office of the Legislative Counsel
Omagh Ethnics Support Group
Omagh Women’s Area Network
Pakistani Community Association
Parents and Professionals and Autism (PAPA)
Parents Advice Centre (PAC)
Participation & Practice of Rights Project
Pharmaceutical Contractors’ Committee (NI)
Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland
Physically Handicapped and Able-Bodied (PHAB)
PlayBoard NI
POBAL
Press for Change
PRAXIS Mental Health
Public Sector Support Services Forum (PSSSF)
Queen’s University of Belfast, School of Law
Queer Space
Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Centre
Registered Nursing Home Association
Regulation & Quality Improvement Authority
Relate
Royal British Legion
Royal College of Anaesthetists
Royal College of General Practitioners (NI)
Royal College of Midwives
Royal College of Nursing ( Northern Ireland)
Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists
Royal College of Ophthalmologists
Royal College of Paediatrics & Child Health
Royal College of Pathologists
Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Glasgow
Royal College of Physicians
Royal College of Physicians in Ireland
Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
Royal College of Psychiatrists
Royal College of Radiologists
Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists
Royal College of Surgeons
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in Northern Ireland
Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID)
Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB)
Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA)
Rural Community Network
Rural Development Council
Rural Support
Salvation Army District Office
Samaritans
Save the Children Fund
Sense (National Deaf-Blind and Rubella Association)
Shelter
Sikh Cultural Centre
Simon Community
Social Care Association (NI)
Society of Local Authority Chief Executives
The Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists
Society of Radiographers
Society of St Vincent de Paul
Sperrin Lakeland Senior Citizens’ Consortium
Staff Commission for Education and Library Boards
The Baptist Centre
The Most Reverend, The Lord Archbishop of Armagh
The Society & College of Radiographers
Threshold
Traveller Movement (NI)
Twins and Multiple Births Association (TAMBA)
Ulster Cancer Foundation
Ulster Chemists Association
Ulster Institute for the Deaf
Ulster Quaker Service Committee
Unison
University of Ulster, School of Law
Voice of Young People in Care (NI)
Voluntary Services Belfast (VSB)
West Belfast Economic Forum
Westminster Spokespersons for Northern Ireland
Women into Politics
Women’s Information Group
Women’s Resource and Development Agency
Women’s Support Network
Young Help Trust
Youth Council for Northern Ireland