Belfast Nursing Homes and Legislation

Setting CCTV at NI nursing homes likely to require ministerial agreement and legislation.

19:36 01 September 2019

Belfast City Council has recently called for cameras to be installed in private homes that care for the elderly following the release of a damning report that looked into the treatment of residents at Dunmurry Manor Care Home. The report recommends that the department or health regulator, the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA), to produce comprehensive guidance on the potential use of covert and overt CCTV in care homes, compliant with human rights laws and data protection.

 

 

 

The Secretary for the Department of Health, Richard Pengelly, said that bringing in CCTV to care and residential homes was a “complex issue.”

 

 

 

"Initially, it would likely require ministerial agreement to do so, along with the probable introduction of new legislation," he said.

 

 

 

The issue is set to be discussed by the council's Strategic Policy and Resources Committee on Friday.