The Registered Homes (Northern Ireland) Order 1992

PART IV CONDUCT AND INSPECTION OF RESIDENTIAL CARE HOMES AND NURSING HOMES

Regulations as to conduct of residential care homes and nursing homes

28.—(1) The Department may make regulations as to the conduct of residential care homes and nursing homes, and in particular—

(a) as to the facilities and services to be provided in such homes;

(b) as to the numbers and qualifications of staff to be employed in such homes;

(c) as to the numbers of suitably qualified and competent staff to be on duty in such homes;

(d) as to the records to be kept and notices to be given in respect of persons received into such homes;

(e) as to the information to be supplied to such persons concerning the manner in which any complaint is to be made;

(f) as to the notification of events occurring in such homes;

(g) as to the giving of notice by a person of a description specified in the regulations of periods during which any person of a description so specified proposes to be absent from a home;

(h) as to the information to be supplied in such a notice;

(i) as to the information to be supplied on an application for registration.

(2) Regulations under this Article may provide that—

(a) a contravention of any specified provision of the regulations shall be an offence against the regulations; and

(b) a person guilty of any such offence shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale.

Inspection of residential care homes and nursing homes

29.—(1) Any person authorised in that behalf by a Board may at all times enter and inspect any premises in the area of the Board which are used, or which that person has reasonable cause to believe to be used, for the purposes of a residential care home or a nursing home.

(2) Any person authorised in that behalf by the Department may at all times enter and inspect any premises which are used, or which that person has reasonable cause to believe to be used, for the purposes of a residential care home or a nursing home.

(3) The powers of inspection conferred by paragraphs (1) and (2) shall include power to inspect any records required to be kept in accordance with regulations under Article 28.

(4) The Department may by regulations require that residential care homes and nursing homes shall be inspected on such occasions or at such intervals as may be prescribed.

(5) A person who proposes to exercise any power of entry or inspection conferred by this Article shall if so required produce some duly authenticated document showing his authority to exercise the power.

(6) Any person who obstructs the exercise of any such power shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale.