Richard Pengelly urges staff openness over health failings
- Published
Richard Pengelly is the permanent secretary at the Department of Health
"Appalling" failings at Muckamore Abbey Hospital have again highlighted the importance of candour, the Department of Health's top civil servant has said.
Permanent Health Secretary Richard Pengelly added the revelations raised the importance of staff feeling they can be open about workplace incidents.
He made the comments as he provided a progress report on recommendations from the Hyponatraemia Inquiry report.
The inquiry into five children's deaths in hospital found four were avoidable.
Mr Pengelly said he recognised that there is a desire to see progress with implementing the recommendations.
"The recommendations of the Hyponatraemia Inquiry potentially impact on every service provided by our health and social care system and on every service user, carer and their families as well as on every member of staff employed to provide health and social care services," he said.
Ministerial approval
The issues raised in the inquiry are being addressed through a system-wide approach co-produced by people who provide and receive health and social care services.
The permanent secretary said there are a number of recommendations which will require ministerial and executive approval, including those which require legislation.
He said "despite the political situation, work is proceeding against all of the recommendations".
Source: Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
Mr Pengelly's comments come as 15 nursing staff were suspended from Muckamore Abbey Hospital following a damning review into the safety of adults with learning difficulties at the hospital.
CCTV footage, taken over a three-month period, shows patients being pulled, hit, punched, flicked and verbally abused by nursing staff.
Vulnerable long-term patients are expected to be moved from the hospital by the end of 2019.
Mr Pengelly recently met Muckamore families and apologised to them.
The Belfast Trust said it was continuing to view historical CCTV footage at Muckamore in County Antrim.