Recommendation R94: Continuing community support provision
From Muckamore Abbey Hospital Inquiry Report, published 18 June 2026.
Recommendation
There will be a continuing need, which must be met, for new and ongoing community-based support for young people and adults with learning disabilities and autistic people whose families become unable to cope full time. This means there is a continuing need for a range of types of provision and well-coordinated support services in addition to the usual community learning disability team. These will include intensive support teams, community forensic teams, assessment and treatment services in the community, and emergency respite services. The availability of these must be monitored and published on the DoH website. These teams and services, some of which exist in parts of Northern Ireland but not all, need to have open referral systems, so that families can self-refer.
Government response
No government response to this recommendation is on the record yet.
Delivery
No statement on delivery from Health and Social Care Northern Ireland or Northern Ireland Executive has been found in the sources searched (last checked 22 June 2026). This is separate from the response above.