Image caption There have been calls for a public inquiry to be held into allegations of physical and mental abuse at the facility

An independent investigation into a new complaint about patient care at Muckamore Abbey Hospital has been ordered.

It will examine "the care and treatment of a former patient" at the facility, said the health services regulator.

It said it was made aware of the investigation by the Belfast Trust on 17 December 2018.

It follows a damning review into the safety of adults with learning difficulties at the hospital.

CCTV footage, taken over a three-month period, showed patients being pulled, hit, punched, flicked and verbally abused by nursing staff.

The December 2018 review found that many lives were affected and there was a culture of tolerating harm.

That review stated that patients' families were "distressed and angry" that no-one intervened to halt the harm and that even the possibility of patients being harmed was denied and deemed implausible by hospital managers and the Regulation and Quality improvement Authority (RQIA).

A police investigation is ongoing and 19 health professionals - mostly nurses - have been suspended due to allegations of physical and mental abuse at the facility.

Sources told BBC News NI the police investigation, which includes viewing thousands of hours of CCTV footage, is unprecedented.

There have been calls for a public inquiry into allegations of physical and mental abuse at the hospital.

'Distressed and angry'

The trust said the latest investigation would be carried out by a fully independent panel. It remains unclear who will be involved.

Image caption A report on Muckamore Hospital, published in 2018, listed 'catastrophic failings'

In a statement it added that "with the agreement of the Department of Health, it was determined that this would be more appropriately undertaken by a fully independent panel under the trust's complaints procedure".

Unit planned to re-open in April

The psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU) at the hospital, which houses six beds for some of Northern Ireland's most vulnerable and physically disabled adults, has remained closed since before Christmas due to staff shortages.

The Belfast Trust told BBC News NI: "The planned refurbishment of this area is expected to be completed in coming weeks.

"We are planning to re-open this facility in April subject to having the appropriate staffing.

"There are currently no patients who require this service however, should this need arise we have in place a contingency plan to deliver this service in a different part of the hospital."