5 October 2026

The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) has welcomed the appointment of Mrs Sarah Wakfer as Chair of the Authority by Health Minister Robbie Butler MLA.

Mrs Wakfer took up the position on 5 October 2026 for a term ending no later than 4 October 2030. Mrs Wakfer brings extensive experience in risk management, audit, governance and compliance. She has more than 18 years of experience in local government, where she led significant transformation programmes. She also spent five years carrying out inspections for the Care Quality Commission in England as an Expert by Experience, focusing on the views and experiences of service users and families.

Having been appointed to RQIA’s Authority Board in 2023 as a patient and service user representative, her appointment as Chair demonstrates a strong commitment to ensuring that the views and experiences of service users and their families help inform and shape RQIA’s work.

Since her appointment as an RQIA Authority Member in 2023, Mrs Wakfer has served as Chair of the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee and as RQIA’s Speak Up Champion.

Commenting on her appointment, Mrs Wakfer said:

“I am honoured to have been appointed Chair of RQIA and look forward to working with Authority Members, the Chief Executive and staff as we continue to support high-quality, safe and effective health and social care services for the people of Northern Ireland.

I have seen first-hand the importance of genuinely listening to the views and experiences of service users and their families. Those insights are invaluable in understanding what matters most to people and in driving improvements in the quality and safety of services. As Chair, I am committed to ensuring that lived experience remains at the heart of RQIA’s work as we regulate, review and encourage improvement across health and social care services.”

About RQIA

RQIA is the independent regulator of health and social care services in Northern Ireland.

RQIA’s primary duties include keeping the Department of Health informed about the availability and quality of health and social care services in Northern Ireland, encompassing services delivered by both Health and Social Care organisations and independent sector providers. RQIA also has a duty to encourage improvement in the quality of services.

Since 2009, RQIA has assumed the role of the Mental Health Commission as outlined in the Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986. RQIA publishes its reports to inform service users and the public of its findings and actions in relation to the quality and safety of services.