Health Minister welcomes the Muckamore Abbey Hospital Inquiry final report
Date published:
The Health Minister has today welcomed the publication of the final report of the Muckamore Abbey Hospital Inquiry.
The Inquiry was announced by then Minister Robin Swann on 8 September 2020 and held evidence sessions between June 2022 and March 2025.
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said:
“From the outset I would like to pay tribute to all the patients, families and carers who firstly raised these issues with the Department of Health and then so courageously gave their time to outline and relive their experiences of the hospital and provide evidence to the Inquiry. This has helped ensure that the Inquiry’s final report has those experiences at its core.
“To those families, patients and carers, I want to extend my sincere apologies on behalf of the entire Health and Social Care (HSC) system for the sustained failures to provide the high-quality care you so rightly expected and deserved, and for the distress and pain that this has caused. I commend you for the dignity that you have shown throughout this process which I know has been extremely difficult and harrowing for you.
“The system, which should have ensured that the most vulnerable in our society were protected, nurtured and cared for, failed you in that core duty. You were let down and for that I am truly sorry.
“In receiving this report, I want to be clear that this represents a watershed moment for the HSC system in how it cares for the most vulnerable members of our society. I do not expect that the report will make for comfortable reading for anyone within the Health and Social Care system. Nor should it. However, I can assure you that my Department views the safeguarding of those who are most vulnerable in our society as a key priority as demonstrated by the Adult Safeguarding Bill currently going through the Assembly. We are committed to ensuring that what happened at Muckamore will never happen again.
“I would like to thank all the Health and Social Care staff, both past and present, and the expert witnesses who provided statements and attended as witnesses to help further the understanding of the Inquiry.
“Finally, I also thank the Inquiry panel and staff for all their hard work and diligence. While the witness sessions finished in March 2025, the Inquiry team worked to ensure that the key lessons and learning from the wide range of evidence received and heard would be reflected in the final report.
“My Department will now take the necessary time needed to consider the detail of the report and its associated recommendations before engaging with the sector to understand and implement the learning to help ensure we never find ourselves in this position again.
“I will make a further statement to the Assembly early next week to set out our next steps in relation to addressing the Inquiry’s recommendations.”
Notes to editors:
- The final report of the Muckamore Abbey Hospital Inquiry can be read in full here.
- The Muckamore Abbey Hospital Inquiry was announced by the then Health Minister Robin Swann on 8 September 2020 and heard formal evidence from 181 witnesses between June 2022 and March 2025.
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