Families of Muckamore patients brand inquiry 'a shambles'

Family members of Muckamore Abbey Hospital patients have branded an ongoing public inquiry into abuse at the hospital "a shambles".

It came as lawyers launched a legal challenge against the inquiry, saying families felt they have been "sidelined" and "treated unfairly".

Part of the challenge is a request to quash a decision by the inquiry not to call a single health minister to give evidence.

It is also calling for greater transparency around the hearing of evidence.

A spokesperson for the Muckamore Abbey Hospital Inquiry said it had gone to “considerable lengths” to ensure the accounts of families of patients were listened to.

They said: “We listened to everyone who wanted to tell us about their experiences within the timeframe of our inquiry.”

Muckamore is run by the Belfast Health Trust and provides facilities for adults with special needs.

The public inquiry is examining abuse at the hospital, which is based outside Antrim.

Glynn Brown, whose son Aaron is a former patient, was instrumental in exposing the scandal.

He said he was "very angry" with how the inquiry has unfolded.

"I don't feel that this is the public inquiry that we campaigned so hard for," he told BBC News NI.

Marjorie Sharp, whose daughter Laura was a patient there for more than 17 years, said families have no confidence in the inquiry.

"We have been treated so badly," she said.

"We're not listened to, we feel it's being rushed - they want to get it over and done with.

"We're speaking on behalf of our loved ones because they don't have a voice".

A spokesperson for the inquiry rejected that it had been rushed in any way.

“We have been working for over three years now, but an inquiry is not an end in itself,” they said.

“Every inquiry must come to an end point when further evidence is not going to assist the panel in relation to writing the report and making much needed changes through its recommendations.”

They added that the inquiry had received evidence from 92 witnesses reflecting patients' experiences and that the majority of them were called to give evidence.

Solicitor Claire McKeegan represents a number of patients' families.

She said other issues included plans to hear closing statements before all the evidence has been heard, and the hearing of evidence in private sessions.

Ms McKeegan criticised plans by the inquiry to hold discussions with families in relation to the resettlement of patients from Muckamore early next year - after the inquiry concludes.

"Now resettlement as we all know for our patients' families is what will secure their futures," Ms McKeegan said.

"Resettlement into the communities having not been dealt with properly is the reason why many patients have been languishing in Muckamore Abbey Hospital for decades.

"This is one of the most important parts of this inquiry and our clients say that should not be done in a private session."

A spokesperson for the inquiry confirmed that it was planning to carry out facilitated sessions for families, patients and carers to discuss their experiences with resettlement.

"This would be planned for an informal setting in the form of facilitated discussions, in the presence of the panel, to allow for recent experiences to be related and discussed, distinct from the way in which formal evidence is gathered when the inquiry sits in public," the spokesperson said.

"The invitation will be entirely voluntary, not limited to core participants, and would be recorded, with a summary of each discussion published (subject to any necessary restriction order) without attributing names to speakers."

Ms McKeegan said: "What counsel in court today said was that a public inquiry should be the very cornerstone of openness and transparency and they feel that they have been sidelined."

The public inquiry got under way in October 2021and closing submissions were planned before the end of this year.

On Thursday, a case management hearing for judicial review was heard at Belfast High Court and a full hearing was confirmed to take place on 2 December.

A separate major police investigation began in 2017 after allegations of ill-treatment began to emerge.

Fifteen individuals have been prosecuted in relation to the criminal investigation.

15 November 2024: This article was updated to include a more detailed response from the Muckamore Abbey Hospital Inquiry which was issued after the story was initially published.