Commentary on Sections Section 2 – Transfer of the Regional Board’s functions
Introduces Schedule 1. Schedule 1 contains both the amendments providing for the transfer of the Regional Board’s functions and amendments consequential on the transfer of the Regional Board’s functions and its dissolution. Amendments to the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972 and the other Health specific Acts and Orders result in duties and responsibilities previously held by the Regional Board now being placed in the main directly upon the Department. As a consequence existing lines of accountability and performance management are clearer.
For those amendments that result in functions now being directly placed on HSC trusts (social care and children functions) the Department is now directly responsible for the oversight of the HSC trusts’ exercise of those functions, again simplifying accountability and performance management lines.