SECRETARY of State Karen Bradley has said she will "review the position" around calls for a public inquiry into the Muckamore hospital abuse scandal, following a plea from an MP urging her to act.
Until now Ms Bradley has insisted the issue is a "devolved matter" and must be dealt with by the Executive.
But yesterday the DUP's Gavin Robinson raised concerns in the House of Commons, saying the scandal "hasn't had the full consideration here and it certainly isn't going to get it without Stormont at home".
The East Belfast MP first made government aware of serious abuse allegations around Muckamore in 2017, after the Belfast trust had failed to alert officials.
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The regional facility for adults with severe learning disabilities is now at the centre of the biggest criminal adult safeguarding investigation in Northern Ireland.
He told Mrs Bradley yesterday that without a minister in place, she is the only person who can order an inquiry.
"The Secretary of State knows that under the Inquiries Act she is the only person who is capable of ordering a public inquiry," Mr Robinson said.
"Can I ask her to earnestly engage with the Department of Health in Northern Ireland, with the families and those who need to see answers for the failure we have had in caring for those who need such significant care."
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Ms Bradley described the abuse allegations as "truly shocking".
Responding to Mr Robinson's calls to establish an inquiry, she said: "I will continue to consider the points he's made and review the position".
Meanwhile, it has emerged the Belfast trust has ordered another review into Muckamore - this time into 'management and leadership'.
At a cross-party briefing yesterday, politicians were told a new review has been commissioned - just months after a previous high-level report found lives were compromised at the Co Antrim facility.
Read more:
- Scale of abuse scandal at Muckamore was 'suppressed' last year, NHS chief reveals
- Mother of Muckamore patient 'haunted' by CCTV footage of him being attacked
Known as a level three Serious Adverse Incident (SAI), the December report was shared with families, some of whom claimed it didn't go far enough in holding senior trust management to account.
Sinn Féin's Pat Sheehan, who attended yesterday's meeting, said he still believed there must be "nothing short" of a full public inquiry.
"It has already been established that abuse took place. What we don't know is how it was allowed to take place and why it continued for so long," he said.
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"The CCTV footage relates to a six or seven-month period in 2017. Nobody believes for one second that the abuse only started when the cameras were switched on... it was endemic."
A spokesman for the Belfast trust confirmed last night it is in the process of "establishing a leadership and governance review relating to Muckamore Abbey Hospital".
"We recognise that it is important that the right team is in place to ensure independence and rigorous scrutiny. We will release further information in due course."
He added: "It was also confirmed (at the cross-party briefing) that all CCTV footage is now under the care of the PSNI, as has always been our intention. The independent panel will continue to view CCTV footage in liaison with the PSNI."
An executive summary of December's SAI report is to be published on the trust's website this week, the spokesman said.
