Raising a concern
You may be the first to realise that there may be something seriously wrong regarding a service provided by or on behalf of the Department and have a genuine concern. The concern may not affect you or a close relative directly but it would be in the public interest to have it investigated.
Following publication of the NICS Raising Concern Framework on 25 January 2023 the Department has revised its raising concerns policy which can be accessed on the Department website.
Raising Concerns - Public Information Leaflet
Those wishing to raise a concern should contact any of the following as detailed within the policy:
Designated Officer, Fiona White at complaints@health-ni.gov.uk
Permanent Secretary, Mike Farrar at permanent.secretary@health-ni.gov.uk
The Department will take all concerns seriously.
The Department would encourage you to raise your concern directly with the appropriate Health and Social Care (HSC) body or the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) in the first instance, as they are best placed to resolve issues in a timely manner.
If you wish the Department to consider your concern, you should include as much detail as possible including the reason for your concern, what you personally have witnessed and why you think the Department should investigate. The department reserves the right to determine the appropriate course of action which may involve asking the HSC body or NIFRS to investigate.
As each investigation will be different it is not possible to specify a generic timeframe for completion.
Your information will be processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act and the General Data Protection Regulations. The information you provide may be shared with a relevant HSC body, NIFRS or other health care provider for the purpose of completing the investigation into your concern.
The departmental raising a concern guidance can be found on the Department website.