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MENTAL
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GOVERNMENT BODIES
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The
Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSS&PS) is
responsible for health and personal social services issues. The department consists of the Planning and Resources Group, Health and Personal Social Services Management Group, five professional groups and the Social Services Estates Agency. Health and social services boards Northern Ireland is divided into four health and social services board areas: Eastern, Northern, Southern and Western.The boards act as agents of the DHSS&PS in planning, commissioning and purchasing health and social services for people resident in their area. In deciding which services are needed, the boards assess the population's health and social care needs and it is then their responsibility to commission and purchase services to meet those needs. Health & social services trusts The delivery of services is the responsibility of local trusts. Trusts are managerially independent of the boards and control their own budgets. Trusts are responsible for the management of staff and services at hospitals and other establishments, which in the past were managed or provided by boards. Most of the key statutory functions of boards in relation to the provision of social services have been delegated to trusts. |
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LEGAL AND HUMAN RIGHTS BODIES
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The
purpose of the Court Service is: · To facilitate the conduct of the business of the Supreme Court, county courts, magistrates' courts, coroners' courts and certain tribunals. · To give effect to judgments to which the Judgments Enforcement (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 applies. To provide the Lord Chancellor with policy advice and legislative support relating to his ministerial responsibilities in Northern Ireland. |
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MHRT Mental Health Review Tribunal |
The Mental Health Review Tribunal (MHRT) reviews the circumstances of people subject to compulsory detention, guardianship or supervision under the Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986. The tribunal has power to end the use of compulsion. Each tribunal has three members: a legal member, a medical member and a lay member. The tribunal does not have a website.
Contact details
Mental Health
Review Tribunal
BELFAST
Tel: 028 9052 3388 Fax: 028 9052 0683 |
| Office of Care and Protection |
When a person becomes unable to look after their property and affairs by reason of a mental disorder, the law provides for the appointment of a controller. Within the High Court system, it is the Office of Care and Protection which deals with the appointment of controllers and the management of patients' financial affairs. Forms can be obtained by telephoning the Office on 028 9023 5111. Boards and trusts, the Mental Health Commission and any person running a nursing home, a home for persons in need or a private hospital are under a legal duty to notify the Office of Care and Protection if they are satisfied that: · a person for whom they have responsibility (or, in the case of the Mental Health Commission, of whom they have knowledge) is incapable of managing her/his property or affairs; · involvement of the court in managing that person's affairs is appropriate; and · no-one else has taken steps to notify the Office of Care and Protection. Where there is no one suitable to make the application, the Office can direct an officer of the court or the Official Solicitor to make the application. In urgent cases, the requirement to apply in writing can be waived.
Leaflets To view a copy of a leaflet describing the work of the Office of Care and Protection, Click here. (Pdf format.) To view view a copy of a leaflet describing Enduring Powers of Attorney, Click here. (Pdf format.)
Contact details The Office of Care and Protection Room 2.2A Second Floor Royal Courts of justice Chichester Street Belfast Co. Antrim BTl 3J F Tel:028 9023 5111 |
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The title of 'Northern Ireland Ombudsman' is a popular name for two offices: · The Assembly Ombudsman for Northern Ireland; and · The Northern Ireland Commissioner for Complaints.
The Ombudsman deals with complaints from people who believe they have suffered injustice as a result of maladministration by government departments and public bodies in Northern Ireland. On 1 December 1997 the Ombudsman's powers were extended to include complaints about doctors providing family health services and other health and social care professionals. The Ombudsman is able to investigate complaints about the exercise of clinical judgement by health care professionals.
Office location
The
Ombudsman's Office
Tel: 0800
34 34 24 (Freephone number) Fax: 028 9023 4912
Postal address
The Ombudsman |
| Law Centre (NI) |
Law Centre (NI) is a not for profit agency working to advance social welfare rights in Northern Ireland. Services · Advice and casework on referral from our membership, including the undertaking of strategic court work and representation before the social security commissioners, industrial tribunals, immigration appellate authorities and social security tribunals. · Training and information aimed primarily at advisers, both new and experienced. · Publications to assist advice agencies in their operation. · Quarterly practitioner fora in social security, community care, immigration and housing (with Housing Rights Service) to bring together advisers to discuss legal, policy and practitioner developments. Areas of work · Social Security: most social security benefits, representation before the social security commissioners and/or at social security appeal tribunals that raise complex/technical legal issues or points of public importance. · Community Care: legal issues surrounding provision of services, facilities or accommodation, carers' rights and other legal issues. · Housing: tenants' rights, in particular representation on regulated private rented sector issues, public sector entitlements and unlawful eviction. · Employment: advice on employees' rights and representation at Industrial Tribunals · Immigration: asylum and other complex applications to the Home Office, representation before the AIT. Child Support: advice and representation at appeals and before the social security commissioner. |
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The Law
Reform Advisory Committee (LRAC) is an independent law reform body
composed of members of the judiciary and legal professions. Its role in
this jurisdiction is similar to that of the Law Commission for England
and Wales and for Scotland. The Committee consists of the Chairman, the Honourable Mr Justice Morgan; the Vice Chairman, His Honour Judge Marrinan and currently six members drawn from the legal professions and academia. The Secretariat for the Committee is provided by the Office of Law Reform. Law Reform
Advisory Committee Telephone: 028 9054 2900 Fax: 028 9054 2909 Email: info@olrni.gov.uk |
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The Office
of Law Reform (OLR) is responsible for keeping certain areas of the
civil law of Northern Ireland under review so as to ensure its
systematic development and reform. It normally provides advice in the
following areas: family, property, tort, contract, private
international, landlord and tenant, trusts, arbitration, enduring powers
of attorney and mental incapacity and decision-making. In those areas of
civil law in which other Departments have lead responsibility, the role
of OLR is confined to providing legal policy advice where requested. In
any area of legal policy where there is no clear departmental lead
responsibility, the OLR may facilitate/provide a co-ordinating role. The Office of Law Reform provides legal and administrative support to the Law Reform Advisory Committee (LRAC). It also advises Ministers on LRAC recommendations falling within its remit and where appropriate takes the recommendations forward through the legislative process. The Office
of Law Reform Telephone: 028 9054 2900 Fax: 028 9054 2909 Email: info@olrni.gov.uk |
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The
Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission came into existence on 1 March
1999. It was created by section 68 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, in
compliance with a commitment made by the British Government in the
Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement of 10 April 1998. The Commission has a full-time Chief Commissioner (Brice Dickson) and five part-time Commissioners. Its role is to promote awareness of the importance of human rights in Northern Ireland, to review existing law and practice and to advise the Secretary of State and the Executive Committee of the Northern Ireland Assembly on what steps need to be taken to fully protect human rights in Northern Ireland. It is specifically charged with drafting a Bill of Rights to supplement the European Convention on Human Rights (which is part of the law in Northern Ireland as a result of the passing of the Human Rights Act 1998). In addition, the Commission has the power to conduct investigations. At present it cannot compel individuals to give oral testimony or to produce documents. Two years into its life the Commission reported to the Secretary of State on whether this inability to obtain evidence (or any other lack of power) is rendering the Commission ineffective. The Commission has the power to assist individuals when they are bringing court proceedings, and to bring court proceedings itself. Connecting Mental Health & Human Rights To see a copy of Connecting Mental Health and Human Rights, Click here. (Pdf format). Contact Information NIHRCTemple Court, 39 North Street, Belfast, BT1 1NA Tel: 028 9024 3987 Textphone: 028 9024 9066 Fax: 028 9024 7844 |
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