To ask the Minister of Health whether he plans to (i) review the Direct Payments system to include a standardised criteria; and (ii) introduce an appeals system within each Health and Social Care Trust.

(i) A Direct Payment, which a Health and Social Care Trust has agreed to fund, must be used to purchase services in accordance with assessed need. This individualised approach ensures that care packages are tailored to each person, therefore making a standardised, one-size-fits-all criteria would be inappropriate. Each person’s care requirements are unique, and Health and Social Care Trusts (HSCTs) must be flexible and able to respond to differing needs within the framework provided by legislation, such as the Carers and Direct Payments Act (Northern Ireland) 2002.

Direct Payments are utilised across a number of Programmes of Care within Health and Social Care. I have asked my officials to consider and provide me with advice on the current Direct Payments system in Northern Ireland. This will help identify those areas where improvements may be necessary.

(ii) Currently, my Department has no plans to introduce a formal appeals systems for Direct Payments which would differ to systems currently in place within HSCTs. The operational management and day-to-day running of Direct Payments, including handling complaints and assessments, remain the responsibility of individual HSCTs. They are tasked with administering the system in line with existing legislation and ensuring that decisions reflect local needs and priorities.