Health Minister Robbie Butler has responded to the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority's (RQIA) Final Report on the Expert Review of Records of Deceased Patients of Michael Watt, emphasising that protecting patients must remain the central focus across Health and Social Care (HSC).

Minister Butler thanked the families who participated in the Deceased Patient Review for their contribution and engagement throughout the process.

The Minister said: "I want to acknowledge the loved ones whose lives are being remembered today. Their loss is deeply felt by their families, and it is right that we pause to remember them and the impact their deaths have had on those closest to them.

"I also recognise the courage and determination of the families who took part in the Deceased Patient Review. Their contribution has been central to ensuring that concerns were examined independently and that lessons can be learned to improve care for future patients and families."

Acknowledging that the report's conclusions are troubling, the Minister underlined that safety must always come first.

He said: "Patient safety must always remain our fundamental priority. The findings in this report are deeply concerning and reinforce issues identified through an earlier phase of the review. I recognise the distress that this publication may cause, and on behalf of the wider Health and Social Care system (HSC), I sincerely apologise for the failings in care that have been identified.

"The report provides an important opportunity to reflect on past failings and to strengthen patient safety across the HSC system. The findings reinforce the importance of openness, effective communication, multidisciplinary working, professional challenge and a culture in which concerns are listened to and acted upon.

"My Department remains committed to supporting initiatives that enhance patient safety, strengthen public confidence and help prevent similar failings from occurring in the future. "I want to thank the RQIA, Royal College of Physicians' review team and all those who supported families throughout the review process for their extensive work in this area."

In response to earlier stages of the work, RQIA committed to sharing learning across HSC. A key outcome has been the development of the Being Human framework, designed to embed a culture of safety, openness and learning. This sits alongside a wider Departmental programme to strengthen patient safety and quality by improving governance, culture and processes.

Publication of the Final Report completes the expert review of deceased patients' records. The Department and RQIA will now consider the lessons identified and plan how best to implement them across the system.

The Department commissioned the RQIA in May 2018 to arrange an expert review of clinical case notes for patients of Dr Michael Watt who died in the ten years before the neurology recall. Phase One concluded in November 2020 with the adoption of a legal framework to enable access to relevant records.

Phase Two involved 45 records: 29 deceased patients whose relatives raised concerns with the RQIA, and 16 patients from the Belfast Trust's Cohort 1 neurology recall who sadly died before attending or completing reassessment. Phase Three covered 25 records: 18 deceased patients whose relatives contacted the RQIA with concerns, and seven further cases where families came forward following the Written Ministerial Statement of 3 July 2024 and made contact before 31 December 2024. The publication of Phase Three brings the expert review to a close, with next steps focused on applying learning across HSC.

Separately, the Independent Neurology Inquiry (INI) Report, published on 21 June 2022, made 76 recommendations, with the Department having implemented 57 to date and work ongoing on the remaining 19. Oversight is provided through the INI Implementation Programme Board, chaired by the Permanent Secretary.

The RQIA's Final Report is available on the RQIA website.