Urology Services Inquiry

Statutory inquiry examining urology services provided by the Southern Health and Social Care Trust, focusing on the clinical practice of consultant urologist Aidan O'Brien at Craigavon Area Hospital. Established November 2020 following a Southern Trust review that identified over 350 patients whose treatment plans required changes, with nine cases meeting the threshold for Serious Adverse Incident review. Evidence was heard between June 2022 and June 2024. The final report, chaired by Christine Smith KC, was published on 24 June 2026 and found failures in governance, oversight, leadership, culture and Board accountability across the Trust and more widely, concluding that patients suffered serious harm including failures in diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. The report made three overarching recommendations: the formal declaration of patient safety as the dominant and primary purpose of health provision; a comprehensive leadership development programme; and investment in data and information. Detailed recommended actions to address these are set out across seven areas for action (patient focus and complaints; organisational development and cultural reform; board and senior leadership development; governance; serious adverse incidents; medical leadership; and urology and cancer services). A parallel Lookback Review assessed whether individual patients received appropriate treatment; Phase 1 completed August 2023, Phase 2 concluded 2024.