Muckamore Abbey: Hospital's future 'under consideration'

The future role of Muckamore Abbey Hospital is under consideration and a resettlement timetable for current patients will be put in place, Health Minister Robin Swann has said.

Patient numbers are being reduced as part of an independent review into the resettlement of patients with learning difficulties in Northern Ireland.

The hospital provides facilities for adults with special needs.

A public inquiry into allegations of abuse at Muckamore is ongoing.

Mr Swann said the reduction in patients at the Country Antrim hospital will "inevitably raise questions about the future configuration of services on the site".

"I am considering options for the future role of the hospital, and I will make a further statement on this in the coming weeks," he added.

Mr Swann said any decisions on the future role of the hospital would be taken in consultation with patients and their families.

"My priority continues to be the safety and well-being of all those who use the services provided on the Muckamore site," the minister said.

On Thursday the Department of Health published an independent review of the learning disability resettlement programme.

The programme aims to move men and women out of the hospital and into the community.

The review panel found that the programme was in urgent need of updating and said there was currently a lack of an overarching plan for the resettlement of people with learning disabilities.

It also found that patients and their families were not adequately listened to during the resettlement process.

The health minister said he had accepted the review's recommendations and measures were being put in place to implement them.

"As an important first step, I have agreed to the establishment of a Regional Resettlement Oversight Board, to be led by a regional senior leader and which will take responsibility for expediting the planned and safe resettlement of those patients whose discharge has been delayed," Mr Swann said.

Dr Patricia Donnelly has agreed to chair the regional board, Mr Swann said.

He added: "The Oversight Board will set a timetable for the resettlement of the remaining patients in Muckamore Abbey and the other regional learning disability hospitals, and regular updates on progress will be provided".

Since allegations of abuse at Muckamore Abbey Hospital began to emerge in 2017, a number people have been arrested and several staff have been suspended from their jobs.

In August 2019, the police officer leading the investigation said CCTV footage revealed 1,500 crimes on one ward alone.

A separate public inquiry into the abuse began in June and relatives of patients have been giving evidence.