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Muckamore Abbey Hospital in County Antrim will not close in June as previously planned.

The June 2024 target closure date, which had been set last year, was dependent on all the remaining patients successfully moving to agreed alternative accommodation placements in the community.

Muckamore provides in-patient services for adults with learning difficulties.

The hospital is the subject of a long-running criminal investigation and an ongoing public inquiry into the abuse of vulnerable patients.

On Wednesday, the Department of Health announced an extension to the closure date for Muckamore Abbey Hospital.

Health Minister, Mike Nesbitt MLA, said: "Much work has been done to find suitable community placements for the remaining in-patients since the announcement of closure.

"However, it is now clear that not all the remaining patients will be successfully resettled in advance of the proposed closure date in June," he said.

The Minister said he was "very aware" that the lack of clarity about the immediate future of the hospital "is heightening levels of anxiety among the remaining patients and their families about the future arrangements for their care" and that this uncertainty is also affecting hospital staff.

"The resettlement process, particularly for those patients who have spent a considerable part of their lives in Muckamore, can be complex and any attempt to rush this work risks the breakdown of individual community placements, and I know such breakdowns can be a difficult and traumatic experience for patients and their families," he said.

Mike Nesbitt said planning will continue "at pace" in relation to establishing resettlement timelines for the remaining patients.

He said setting a further target date for the hospital's closure "is not helpful to patients or families".

The Minister confirmed the hospital will close but when all those at Muckamore have been resettled.

The planned closure of the hospital will have no bearing on the criminal investigation in relation to the hospital or the work of the Muckamore Abbey Hospital Inquiry.

These will both continue according to their planned schedules.