IHRD-8 Accepted

RQIA Compliance Review Powers

Hyponatraemia Inquiry · Report of the Inquiry into Hyponatraemia-related Deaths · Issued 31 January 2018 · Addressed to: Department of Health NI, Northern Ireland Executive

Source — verbatim from the inquiry

Inquiry recommendation

Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority ('RQIA') should review overall compliance and consideration should be given to granting it the power to prosecute in cases of serial non-compliance or serious and wilful deception.

Hyponatraemia Inquiry, Report of the Inquiry into Hyponatraemia-related Deaths · 31 Jan 2018 Source PDF →

Response — verbatim from government

Northern Ireland Executive — initial response

Training protocols updated. Competency requirements incorporated into medical education and continuing professional development.

Northern Ireland Executive · 1 Mar 2018 Written response →

Department of Health NI — follow-up

RQIA remit under review. Consideration being given to expanded oversight powers but prosecution powers not yet granted.

Department of Health NI · 1 Mar 2018 Written response →

Evidence trail — what's actually happened since

  • 6 Feb 2026 · Department of Health NI / RQIA RQIA's remit remains limited. Prosecution powers for serial non-compliance have not been granted. Fundamental regulatory reform requiring legislation has not occurred. View source → Insufficient Progress

Each entry above links to a primary source — gov.uk written statement, consultation response document, or inspection report. The Index does not characterise government intent; it tracks what has been published.

How this page is built

Source and Response are verbatim from primary documents. The Evidence trail records published activity since — written statements, consultation outcomes, inspection findings, parliamentary references. The Index does not paraphrase or characterise intent; it tracks what has been published. Where the evidence is the absence of action (a missed deadline, a slipped timetable), that absence is documented from primary sources rather than inferred.

This recommendation's data is verified periodically against primary sources. The Index is monitored for staleness weekly.