The Ulster Unionist Party has responded to the publication of the Muckamore Abbey Hospital Inquiry Report.

Ulster Unionist MP for South Antrim Robin Swann, who in September 2020 as the then Minister of Health in Northern Ireland took the hugely important decision to commission the inquiry, said:

"This is a deeply significant moment for the patients and families who have waited so long for answers.

“When I commissioned this statutory public inquiry as Health Minister I did so because it was clear that only a full, independent and public examination of what happened at Muckamore Abbey Hospital could uncover the truth and provide families with the transparency they deserved. Today, that truth has been laid bare.

“The findings are deeply disturbing and expose serious failures in care, governance and accountability over many years. Some of the most vulnerable people in our society were failed by systems and individuals who were entrusted with their protection and wellbeing.

“My thoughts today are first and foremost with those patients who suffered abuse and neglect, and with their families who have endured years of heartbreak, uncertainty and frustration while seeking answers on behalf of their loved ones. I want to pay tribute to the courage, determination and persistence of those families. Had they not continued to challenge the system and demand accountability, many of the issues identified in this report may never have been fully exposed.

“While no inquiry can undo the harm that was caused, it can help ensure that lessons are learned and that such failures are never repeated. That must now be the collective focus of everyone involved."

Alan Chambers MLA, Ulster Unionist Health Spokesperson added:

“The Muckamore Abbey Hospital Inquiry Report is a devastating assessment of a system that failed some of the most vulnerable people in Northern Ireland. This Inquiry should serve as a watershed moment for health and social care in Northern Ireland. We must ensure that never again can vulnerable people be left in circumstances where abuse and such appalling levels of poor care are allowed to persist unchecked.

“The stories contained within this report are shocking. Patients who should have been protected, cared for and treated with dignity instead experienced abuse and a culture that tolerated unacceptable standards for far too long.

“Families placed their trust in the health service and were badly let down. Many spent years raising concerns, only to feel ignored or dismissed. They were right to demand answers and today's report vindicates their determination to uncover the truth.

“There will rightly be intense scrutiny of the actions and decisions of organisations and individuals identified throughout this report. Accountability cannot stop with expressions of regret. Where failures occurred, they must be acknowledged and addressed.

“As a Party, working closely with the Minister of Health Mike Nesbitt we will now study the report carefully, but one thing is already clear: improvements must be made and assurances given from right across the entire health and social care system here that such appalling abuse will never be allowed to happen again.”