About us

The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA)  is the independent body responsible for monitoring and inspecting the availability and quality of health and social care services in Northern Ireland, and encouraging improvements in the quality of those services.  Our role is to ensure that health and social care services in Northern Ireland are accessible, well managed and meet the required standards. We will work to ensure that there is openness, clarity and accountability in the management and delivery of all these services.

RQIA was established under The Health and Personal Social Services (Quality, Improvement and Regulation) (Northern Ireland) Order 2003.   The Order also places a statutory duty of quality upon health and social care organisations, and requires the DHSSPS to develop standards against which the quality of services can be measured.

Click here to view The Health and Personal Social Services (Quality, Improvement and Regulation) (Northern Ireland) Order 2003.