What is the purpose of PAC?
The primary purpose of the Privacy Advisory Committee is to provide independent advice on the use of information relating to patients and service users across Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland.
PAC promotes the protection, ethical use and lawful sharing of information, ensuring that the interests of patients and the wider public remain central to decisions involving confidential information.
The Committee also provides advice to external organisations and researchers seeking to make use of confidential information held within Health and Social Care services for approved health and social care purposes. The Committee does not provide advice to individuals about the use of their information.
Why was PAC established?
In 2002, the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) undertook a public consultation on protecting personal information within Health and Social Care.
The consultation resulted in fourteen recommendations designed to improve how personal information relating to service users is managed across the health and social care system.
One of those recommendations was the establishment of a Privacy Advisory Committee to oversee and support the implementation of the recommendations. PAC was formally established in 2006 and continues to provide advice on the use of information relating to patients and service users.
What does PAC do?
PAC’s responsibilities include:
- Keeping confidentiality matters under continuous review across Health and Social Care.
- Providing independent advice on privacy, confidentiality and information governance issues.
- Considering current and proposed uses of confidential information.
- Advising policy makers on the ethical and legal implications of information use.
- Reviewing research proposals involving identifiable information.
- Supporting the development and maintenance of guidance relating to confidentiality and data protection.
- Promoting best practice in information governance and privacy-enhancing technologies.
- Supporting secure access to data for legitimate health and social care purposes.
How does PAC support information governance?
PAC advises on the use of personal information for approved purposes and helps ensure that uses of information are consistent with relevant legislation and good governance practices.
The Committee supports implementation of the Health and Social Care (Control of Data Processing) Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 and advises on updates to the Northern Ireland Code of Practice on Protecting the Confidentiality of Service User Information.
PAC also encourages the adoption of secure data access environments and privacy-enhancing approaches that help protect confidential information while enabling valuable research and service improvement activity.
Who serves on PAC?
PAC membership reflects a broad range of experience and perspectives. Members may include:
- Health and social care professionals
- Information governance specialists
- Researchers
- Service user and patient representatives
- Carers
- Members of the public
Members are appointed because of their expertise, experience or interest in confidentiality, privacy, ethics, data governance, research, equality and human rights issues within health and social care.
How often does PAC meet?
The Committee usually meets four times each year.
Meetings may be held in person, virtually, or through a hybrid model. Minutes are maintained as part of the Committee’s governance arrangements and may be published where appropriate.
Who does PAC report to?
PAC provides an Annual Report to the Department of Health through the Northern Ireland Trusted Research Environment (NITRE) Strategic Board.
The report summarises the Committee’s activities, recommendations, progress against priorities, and emerging confidentiality and information governance issues.
What legislation and standards guide PAC?
All PAC activities are undertaken within the framework of:
- UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR)
- Data Protection Act 2018
- Health and Social Care (Control of Data Processing) Act (Northern Ireland) 2016
- Common law and ethical duties of confidentiality
These frameworks help ensure that information is used responsibly, transparently and in the public interest.
How does PAC engage with stakeholders?
PAC works with a wide range of stakeholders across Health and Social Care, including:
- HSC organisations
- Data Protection Officers
- Researchers
- Clinicians
- Policy makers
- Service users and the general public
The Committee facilitates discussion and provides advice on proposed uses of service user information where requested, but does not provide advice to individuals about the use of their information.
Current Membership
Dr Colin M Harper (Chair)
Honorary Lecturer in Social Policy, Queen’s University Belfast
Chief Executive Officer, Camphill Communities Trust (NI)
Cathy Cole
Senior Manager, Information Governance and Data Protection
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
Eileen McKay
Deputy Executive Director of Social Work
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
Dr Michael McKenna
General Practitioner and BMA Representative
Geraldine Reynolds
Service User Representative
Dr Frances Burns
Assistant Director, HSC Data Institute
HSC Northern Ireland Trusted Research Environment (NITRE)
Contact Details
Dr Colin M Harper
Chair, Privacy Advisory Committee Northern Ireland
Colin.Harper@qub.ac.uk
Page last updated: 22 September 2026