Well being Minister Robin Swann stated he's contemplating choices for the long run function of Muckamore Abbey Hospital in Co Antrim.
He was commenting on an unbiased assessment of the educational incapacity resettlement programme in Northern Eire.
The assessment was commissioned to look at oversight preparations for resettling sufferers from Muckamore and different studying incapacity hospitals.
The hospital, for adults with extreme studying disabilities and psychological well being wants, has been on the centre of the UK’s largest police investigation into the alleged abuse of weak adults.
A public inquiry can also be presently ongoing into allegations of abuse at Muckamore.
Mr Swann stated: “Because the resettlement programme at Muckamore Abbey progresses, the decreasing variety of in-patients on the hospital will inevitably increase questions in regards to the future configuration of providers on the location.
“I'm contemplating choices for the long run function of the hospital, and I'll make an additional assertion on this within the coming weeks.
“It's more and more clear that the time when a big remoted specialist hospital of this sort was the proper mannequin has handed.
“Selections should be made, sooner fairly than later, to safe a greater future.”
He added: “My precedence continues to be the protection and well-being of all those that use the providers offered on the Muckamore web site, and any choices about the way forward for these will solely be taken in session with sufferers and their households.”
The resettlement programme assessment examined the speed of progress in direction of delivering resettlement outcomes for sufferers whose discharge has been delayed.
It discovered that coverage and technique in Northern Eire for individuals with studying disabilities and their households is in pressing want of updating, and that an up to date technique ought to consolidate the long-standing objective that no-one ought to name a hospital their house.
Mr Swann stated the assessment should act as a catalyst to radically enhance the speed of progress on resettlement and stated he had accepted all of its suggestions.
He stated he had agreed to the institution of a regional resettlement oversight board, to be chaired by Dr Patricia Donnelly.
Dr Donnelly beforehand took cost of Northern Eire’s Covid-19 vaccination programme.