Vulnerable patients' lives made 'miserable' by abuse, Muckamore inquiry finds

Vulnerable patients' lives made 'miserable' by abuse, Muckamore inquiry finds 2 hours ago Share Save Add as preferred on Google Marie-Louise Connolly , Health correspondent and Amy Stewart , BBC News NI Muckamore Abbey Inquiry Inquiry panel: Professor Glynis Murphy, Chair Tom Kark KC and Dr Elaine Maxwell A number of long-term patients at a hospital for vulnerable adults suffered physical abuse, including black eyes, broken bones, bruising and excessive restraint. The long-awaited final report into the abuse at Muckamore Abbey Hospital has been published. Chaired by Tom Kark KC, the public inquiry ran for three years from June 2022, hearing oral evidence from 181 witnesses and more than 300 statements. The report into what happened inside the hospital found "deviance" was so normalised that working below par became acceptable. The report also makes it clear that abuse did not involve every patient nor every member of staff, nor a majority of the staff. But many patients had their lives made "miserable" by systematic bullying by certain members of staff whose job it was to look after them. What did the inquiry say about the Belfast Trust? The report said that the "attitude of the trust", seen in correspondence sent on its behalf during the course of the inquiry , gives rise to "serious concern as to whether the Belfast Trust has the capacity to change its ways independently and without external forces brought to bear". In light of the "adversarial approach" taken during the process the inquiry touched on how "difficult a task" individual families attempting to challenge the trust must have been on occasions. The inquiry notes that this is the second major public inquiry into it in recent years. Speaking after the report was published chairman of the Belfast Trust Stuart Elborn, said it takes "full responsibility" for people being failed on many levels over many years. The trust offered "an unreserved apology". Chief executive Jennifer Welsh said she is deeply sorry for everything that patients suffered and for the lasting impact of "such appalling behaviour". Northern Ireland's Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said patients were let down and extended an unconditional apology. Follow along live: Patients abused and bullied at Muckamore Abbey Hospital, inquiry finds The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has said its Muckamore investigation is the biggest criminal adult safeguarding case of its kind in the UK. At more than 700 pages long, the report which lists 106 recommendations, proposes a comprehensive programme of reform in response to a profound catalogue of failures, widespread abuse, systemic failings of leadership and the mishandling of the review of critical CCTV evidence. The critical findings include: Ineffective external inspection failed to uncover the abuse and the system failed to function as a meaningful safety net A long-term policy beginning in 2001 to move all patients with Learning Disabilities and Autism from hospital settin