The Health and Personal Social Services (Amendment) Bill

report-on-the-health-and-personal-social-services-amendment-bill-.pdf (130.59 kb)

Executive Summary
1.  The two key purposes of the Bill are to update the Northern Ireland Social
Care Council’s (NISCC) regulatory systems, and to extend NISCC’s powers to formally recognise the learning achievements of social  workers in Northern Ireland. The Bill was welcomed by stakeholders.
2.  Clause 2 of the Bill provides NISCC with an explicit power to disclose
information about a registrant’s fitness to practise. Given the importance of
data protection, particularly in relation to personal or sensitive data, the
Committee sought a Ministerial assurance that the powers contained in clause
2 are in line with a person’s data protection rights under other pieces of
legislation. The Minister provided that assurance.

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