Alliance critical of patient care

Seventeen children are in the hospital

Alliance leader David Ford has hit out at Health Minister Paul Goggins for a "lack of action" over patient care.

The BBC revealed that 17 children were among 118 patients at Muckamore Abbey Hospital who have not been discharged due to a lack of funding.

Mr Ford said the minister should request a public inquiry to ensure that the situation was rectified.

A health trust chief said community care for patients no longer needing treatment would cost £30m annually.

Mr Ford said the minister must show he is taking the matter seriously.

"His comments suggest that he is pushing the matter off on one of his officials for them to deal with," he said.

Commissioner

"There was no real urgency in his words or actions. This matter requires immediate action because the voices of people with learning difficulties have not been heard at all."

The Children's Commissioner is to meet the young people involved.

Richard Black of the North and West Belfast Trust said they had been asking the government for more money.

He said in the meantime the trust was trying to do its best for the patients.

Earlier, Children's Commissioner Patricia Lewsley said she wanted to know why government policy was not followed.

"I was shocked to hear that these very vulnerable children and young people have been denied the services they need and I have asked the trust to confirm the numbers of children and young people involved." she said.

"My office has consistently raised with government the need for adequate resources for the Mental Health and Learning Disability Services as highlighted in the Bamford Review.

"I will now be asking the minister, Paul Goggins, why these children and young people have remained in hospital despite this being directly contrary to government policy."

One man has been in the hospital for 10 years

She also said she wanted to meet medical staff to hear their views.

On Thursday night, Mr Goggins said he had commissioned a number of reports to ensure that these children were given the appropriate support.

The BBC investigation found people with severe learning disabilities were being kept in hospital as there is no money to care for them in the community.

More than 100 adults with learning disabilities have had their discharge from hospital delayed for an average of three and a half years.

Some of the children have been ready to go home for nearly 20 months.

The father of a teenage boy at Muckamore said his son, who has learning difficulties, and other children were "forgotten about".

One man remains in the unit 10 years after his treatment ended.

The Department of Health said the current situation was "unacceptable" and would be looking into it.