Muckamore closure: Chance for fresh start after patient abuse scandal, says whistle-blower despite doubts on alternative care plans

Glynn Brown's adult son was a patient at Muckamore Abbey Hospital in Co Antrim when allegations first began to emerge that patients - some of the most vulnerable in Northern Ireland - were being mistreated by staff.While he believes the closure of the facility could represent an opportunity to modernise care, he has cast doubt on the ability of health authorities to find alternative arrangements for patients.

Mr Brown, whose role in uncovering the alleged abuse ultimately resulted in one of the UK's largest ever criminal investigations which remains ongoing and the establishment of a public inquiry, was speaking to the News Letter after Health Minister Robin Swann announced that a public consultation is to be launched on the proposed closure of the hospital.

He said alternative arrangements must be put in place before any closure can go ahead but said there is a "golden opportunity" to modernise care.

Mr Brown cast doubt, however, on the ability of health authorities to do so following previous promises to find suitable care for patients elsewhere.

"I think there is a sense of inevitability [about the proposed closure] because the name of Muckamore has become notorious," he said.

"They will try and expunge that from the public memory. Change the name, and after a few years the new name isn't associated with any kind of scandal. I think that's where the rationale is.

"But it's about governance, staffing and people - not a building, and not a location."

In December 2018, in the absence of a Minister in place to take decisions, the then Permanent Secretary of the Department of Health Richard Pengelly issued an apology to the families impacted by the patient abuse scandal at Muckamore.

He also promised that alternative arrangements would be in place for the patients living there by the end of 2019.

While alternative care plans have been secured for Mr Brown's son and others, dozens of patients remain in Muckamore right now - almost three years after the pledge from Mr Pengelly.

"The crucial point is where are the patients going to go," Mr Brown said.

"What is being put in place prior to the closure? Now, it was said on the minister's behalf during the meeting [between families and health authorities prior to Mr Swann's announcement] that nothing will happen until the patients are all gone. They want to put them in the community - but remember that was promised years ago, in about 2013, and of course Pengelly a few years ago spun the yarn about patients being out by Christmas."

He added: "My suspicion is that they might look to open a new facility and start from scratch with new procedures, new staff, new managers, a new building. I could be way off the mark, but maybe they want a fresh start. This could be a golden opportunity to try and put things right, but it's going to take commitment, it's going to take money and it's going to take hard-nosed decisions."