RCN responds to publication of Muckamore Abbey Hospital Inquiry report

Professor Rita Devlin, RCN Northern Ireland Executive Director, said:

“This is a hugely important moment for patients, families and staff who have been waiting a long time for the findings of this inquiry. The RCN called for a full public inquiry into what happened at Muckamore back in 2019, and we welcome the publication of the final report today.

“There are a number of recommendations outlined in the report which we will be analysing in detail. The RCN is clear that accountability must be accompanied by learning. The lessons from Muckamore must inform practice across health and social care settings, strengthening safeguarding frameworks and ensuring that early warning signs are never ignored. Transparency, openness and a commitment to continuous improvement are vital to rebuilding public confidence.

“When systems fail and care is compromised, it is essential that healthcare staff are empowered and supported to speak up without fear and that robust systems exist to respond quickly and effectively. The findings from this inquiry must be used to drive meaningful, system-wide change.

“We must ensure that people with learning disabilities are able to access safe, lawful, effective and equitable care throughout their life. Safe, therapeutic environments require appropriate staffing levels, strong leadership and a culture where safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. Investment in training, supervision and workforce capacity are essential to ensure staff can fulfil their professional obligations and deliver safe, person-centred care.

“Above all, we must ensure that the failures exposed at Muckamore Abbey Hospital are never repeated. Safeguarding vulnerable adults is not optional. It is a fundamental duty that must sit at the heart of care provision.”

Learning and improvement

The RCN will carefully review the Inquiry’s findings in full and continue to advocate for a health and social care system that prioritises patient safety, safe staffing, strong leadership and a culture where staff feel confident to speak up.

Much work is already underway in Northern Ireland to strengthen learning disability nursing. In 2024, NIPEC and the Department of Health published Equity of Access and Outcome, setting out a future model to maximise the impact of learning disability nurses.

Earlier this week, the RCN also published Safety, Equity and Expertise: A UK Review of Learning Disability Nursing, outlining our recommendations to strengthen the profession and improve care.

Support for members

We recognise that the publication of this report may be distressing for many of our members. We are committed to supporting you during this time.

If you are affected by the Inquiry or its findings, support is available through our Advice Centre and member services. These provide confidential advice, professional guidance and wellbeing support.

A copy of the Muckamore Abbey Hospital Inquiry report can be found here.