Summary
The Department of Health is seeking views on the policy proposals which will underpin the development of a new Public Health Bill for Northern Ireland.
Documents
- Public Health Bill Consultation document
- Public Health Bill Response form
- Public Health Bill Rural Needs Impact Assessment document
- Equality HR Screening template July 2024
Consultation description
Overview
This is the second consultation on Public Health legislation and seeks your views on specific policy proposals that will underpin the provisions to be included in a new Public Health Bill.
The first consultation in September 2015 asked basic questions about current Public Health law, the Public Health Act (Northern Ireland) 1967. The outcome of that consultation enabled a Final Report to be published in March 2016, which set out key recommendations for legislative reform and the shaping of future public health protection law in Northern Ireland, leading to this current consultation.
This consultation sets out the proposals which will underpin a new health protection legislative framework for Northern Ireland and which are based on the recommendations of the Review of the 1967 Act and learning from recent public health emergencies.
The overarching principle of the draft Bill is to protect the population against various forms of infection and contamination including biological, chemical and radiological in addition to infectious diseases, which is the focus of the 1967 Act. The all hazards approach will enable broader surveillance, supporting more timely and effective intervention, controlling the spread of infection and contamination generally and if needs be, in an emergency.
Responses
Thank you for taking the time to write to us. The response to the consultation, which closed on 14 October 2024, has been extensive and the Department will now carefully consider all the responses to the consultation whether partial or full. Your views and comments will be included in the detailed consultation analysis, assisting us to refine the policy proposals over the coming months. A consultation summary report will be published on the Department’s website.
The Department will continue to engage with key stakeholders and the Health Committee in the refinement of the policy proposals, with Executive agreement also being sought. Any subsequent draft legislation will and must go through the Northern Ireland Assembly's normal scrutiny processes, which includes a detailed review of the draft legislation by the Health Committee and an Assembly debate and vote.
Ways to respond
Consultation closed — responses are no longer being accepted.