The Northern Ireland regulator has released the final report of its Review of Records of Deceased Patients (Neurology), bringing together findings, recommendations and legacy actions from all phases.
The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) published the final report of its Review of Records of Deceased Patients (Neurology) on 10 September 2026. The review concerned the records of deceased patients of a former Consultant Neurologist. RQIA says the report brings together the findings, recommendations and legacy actions from all phases of the review.
The first publication from the review came in November 2022. RQIA says the findings uncovered since then have been reinforced by the review of further records of deceased patients published alongside the final report.
RQIA describes the findings as making stark reading. The review found that a combination of factors resulted in standards of care that frequently fell below expectations. Those factors were:
In some cases, the review found, harm was caused through delayed or misdiagnosis, inappropriate treatment, and failures in communication and support.
An independent Expert Panel reviewed the records and the family testimonies. RQIA says the majority of family concerns raised were fully or partially upheld by that panel. The regulator says the collective review provides evidence of the impact of poor clinical practice on patients and their families, and underlines the need for patient safety and quality of care to remain central to professional and management practice.
As part of its legacy commitments, RQIA co-developed a Patient Safety Culture Framework for Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland. This has resulted in a co-produced HSC safety culture framework called Being Human. RQIA says the framework is now being tested and used across health and social care organisations to identify embedded practices and behaviours, and to drive a positive patient and staff safety culture across the whole system.
The regulator paid tribute to the families involved. It said their testimonies provided evidence and understanding that clinical records alone could not offer, and that contributing to the review while grieving came at a cost to them.
The RQIA Chair said the current focus on patient safety was down to families. She said: "the strong and clear focus now being placed on patient safety across the system is due to the courage and determination of patients and families to seek the truth and insist on change, so that others do not suffer as they have suffered."
She added that RQIA recognises that such family involvement comes at a personal cost, and that the regulator hopes the review and the actions taken as a result stand as a positive legacy.
The full report is available on the RQIA website under Deceased Patients Review (Neurology). The announcement does not set out the individual recommendations in detail, nor does it give any deadlines for implementation. Providers in Northern Ireland who want to understand the recommendations and legacy actions should read the report itself.
It is an RQIA review of the records of deceased patients of a former Consultant Neurologist. The final report, published on 10 September 2026, brings together findings, recommendations and legacy actions from all phases of the review.
Being Human is a co-produced HSC safety culture framework that came out of a Patient Safety Culture Framework for Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland which RQIA co-developed. RQIA says it is being tested and used across health and social care organisations to identify embedded practices and behaviours and drive a positive patient and staff safety culture.
No. The announcement does not give implementation deadlines or list the individual recommendations. It points readers to the full report on the RQIA website.
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