Speaking after meeting some of the bereaved families at Stormont alongside Alliance colleague Patrick Brown MLA, the South Belfast MLA stated: “The inquiry report was a significant step towards delivering on the need to learn lessons many of those bereaved by this appalling scandal spoke about today.

 “However, although it provides some clear guidance as to what went wrong, for many families the question remains of why

 “Victims of this scandal are still left with neither justice nor the full truth as to what happened and why it was allowed to happen. The inquiry mentioned opportunities to recognise the failures as long ago as 2006, but I heard stories today which pre-date even that.

 “The facts emerging both from the inquiry report and testimonies of the many people affected are the authorities did not adhere to their most basic role, a duty of care towards patients. It is alarming also to hear of the lack of urgency from those authorities in determining why what happened did happen, and what learning must be taken from it.

 “It is a matter of the utmost urgency the public is comprehensively assured this cannot be ongoing currently, and those who suffered as a result of past negligence have immediate access to the truth of what occurred.”