Muckamore inquiry: Mother 'has no trust' in hospital care

The mother of a 23-year-old man has told the public inquiry into abuse at Muckamore Abbey Hospital that she has "no confidence or trust" in the care her son receives.

She was speaking on Wednesday during the first full public session of the inquiry since the summer recess.

In other evidence, a man said his brother had parts of his ear bitten off twice at the hospital in County Antrim.

Another witness said he was happy with his daughter's care at the hospital.

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

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

Thousands of hours of CCTV footage has been reviewed as part of the investigation by the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

At the inquiry on Wednesday, the woman, referred to only as Geraldine, who said she had no trust in the hospital, talked about her son, identified only as George.

He is due to be moved to an independent living facility before 2025.

Geraldine said he had come home from Muckamore "covered in bruises" on the back of his arms and legs and that had happened at least four times.

She said she thought it might have been because staff had had to restrain him due to his behaviour.

However, after she learned about abuse at Muckamore she began to worry that the bruises may have been inflicted.

George has a diagnosis of autism and ADHD and has been living at Muckamore since he was 18 years old.

He requires 24-hour attention and it can take two people at a time to look after him as his behaviour can be violent.

His mother told the inquiry that he can communicate but he does not always understand what is going on.

Geraldine spoke about another incident in 2021 when George had his feet and hands handcuffed by police.

She told the inquiry she did not know why he was handcuffed.

A complaint was made to the Police Ombudsman about the degree of force used on him.

Geraldine said she was not permitted access to George's bedroom at the hospital and the only time she has seen his room was on a videocall.

On one occasion, she had to phone staff at the hospital as another patient was threatening to harm her son.

"He was in his bedroom and I was Facetiming him. The patient was kicking the door and threatening to kill him," she said.

"Nobody came. When you leave him there you leave with a lot of guilt.

"All I want for George is to come away from there with his own wee place.

"Any confidence I did have [in Muckamore] is gone, any trust is gone."

Geraldine said she was worried about the behaviour of other patients who have attacked George in the past.

"One day George is going to get really hurt, I'm just worried about his safety," she said.

In a statement to the inquiry, the father of a former patient, known only as P31, said he had "no complaints" about the care his daughter received while she was at the hospital.

His daughter stayed at Muckamore for varying lengths of time between 2000 and 2018.

He described staff members in the Fintona South Ward as "dedicated" and said he and his wife were allowed to visit their daughter at any time of day or night.

They went on holiday to Spain twice with nursing staff, as friends, he said.

"[P31] never appeared to become upset after going back to Muckamore Abbey Hospital after a weekend or day away," he said.

"My wife and I were always treated with the utmost respect by Muckamore Abbey Hospital staff and we would have been happy for P31 to be treated there."

The inquiry also heard about the experiences of two brothers - one who lived at Muckamore for more than 40 years and one called P19 to protect his identity - who stayed at the hospital for periods from the 1980s to 2009.

P19 gave evidence in person and said his experience with staff was mixed.

"Some were nice; some were bullies," he said, adding that there were several incidents that had caused concern.

He said his brother had parts of his ear bitten off twice - once in 2010 and again in 2012.

P19 told the inquiry that the hospital phoned his mother in her nursing home to tell her and he heard no more details about it.

His brother died in 2016 in a residential home after choking on an orange.

The inquiry continues.