Muckamore Abbey Hospital: Public inquiry to be held into alleged abuse

A public inquiry will be held into alleged abuse of patients by staff at Muckamore Abbey Hospital, Northern Ireland's health minister has said.

Allegations of physical and mental abuse of patients began to emerge in 2017.

Last month, Health Minister Robin Swann said there had been a "sustained failure of care" at the hospital.

So far eight arrests have been made by police investigating ill-treatment of patients at the facility in Antrim.

The most recent arrest was on Monday but the 57-year-old woman was released a day later, pending a report to the public prosecution service.

The first arrest was made in October 2019 and there have been 62 precautionary suspensions of staff. No-one has been charged.

Police have reviewed thousands of hours of CCTV footage as part of their ongoing investigation.

The hospital provides facilities for adults with severe learning disabilities and mental health needs and is run by the Belfast Trust.

Speaking in Stormont on Tuesday, Mr Swann said there had been a "shocking failure which has affected some of the most vulnerable members of our society".

"Families and patients want and deserve more than apologies," he said.

"They want and need answers as to why this happened and how it was allowed to happen and I hope the public inquiry I have announced will give them those answers".

The inquiry follows two reports into the alleged abuse at Muckamore - the second of which was published by the Department of Health in August.

Mr Swann said his officials have a programme of work to get the inquiry "up and running" and that it was "likely to take time".

He said current and former families would be involved in influencing the terms of reference for the inquiry.

"This is a sad chapter in the history of the health and social care services in Northern Ireland," he added.

Speaking to BBC's Evening Extra programme, Glynn Brown, whose son Aaron had been a patient at Muckamore, welcomed the decision.

Mr Brown, who is credited with challenging the health trust for access to the CCTV footage, has been praised by the health minister for "exposing the truth".

He said the announcement was an important step forward and the families were pleased to have achieved that in such a short time.

Mr Brown said it would be important to see the terms of reference for the inquiry, as well as who would be put in charge of it.

Anne Blake, whose son Jonathan was also a resident, is the head of the Action for Muckamore group.

"I just can't tell you how happy I am that we've got to this stage," she said.

"It is the people at the top who have to be accountable. All of us, all parents, were continuously knocking on doors, going to our public representatives.

"Everybody was fighting to get the people at the top to give answers - and they wouldn't do it.

"A public inquiry is the only way to make these people accountable."

Claire McKeegan, who represents the Action for Muckamore group, said it was a "significant and monumental day" for the families.

"The public inquiry is what we were seeking, it is what they wanted, and while we are cautious moving forward as the devil is in the detail," she said.

"When you look at the vulnerable adults who have been in this ward and who have been harmed, many of them are non-verbal.

"They can't speak, they can't articulate, they can't understand in some cases why they are being harmed.

"That is why it is so important."