Abuse revealed by the BBC’s Panorama at a long-stay hospital for people with autism and learning disabilities is endemic across the care system.
That’s the view of Sir Stephen Bubb. He wrote a key report urging an end to hospital care after a Panorama programme in 2011 exposed abuse at Winterbourne View, near Bristol.
Sir Stephen Bubb, who believes the alleged abuse uncovered at Whorlton Hall is endemic in care
Ten workers were arrested after last week’s programme showed patients at Whorlton Hall, in County Durham, being restrained on the floor and goaded by staff.
‘By its nature it’s abusive’
Bubb, who is head of think-tank Charity Futures, said: “I think it is endemic and it ranges from frequent use of physical restraint, seclusion and over-medication, so I think by its nature it’s abusive.”
His 2014 report, Winterbourne View — Time for Change, advocated a “closure programme of inappropriate institutional inpatient facilities, driven by tougher registration requirements, local closure plans, and leadership by NHS England”.
‘Staff adept at masking abuse’
Bubb said that while installing cameras in care homes would help, it would not resolve the problem as “staff can be adept at masking abuse from cameras”.
Workers were heard discussing ways of hiding abuse from cameras during the undercover documentary.
Reports suggest that officials visited Whorlton Hall at least 100 times in the year before the Panorama programme.
Health watchdog the Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated the hospital as “good” but has since apologised.
Durham Police said officers had questioned staff over “offences relating to abuse and neglect”.
Co-operating with the police
Whorlton Hall’s owners, Cygnet Health Care, said it had suspended the staff involved. It also said it was fully co-operating with the police.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said it was committed to halving numbers in mental health hospitals. An expert group would develop a better care model, the spokesperson added.
Related:
- Nearly 50 dead in long-stay hospitals
- ‘Abject failure’ of hospital plan
- Independent medics sent into hospital
- Hospital placed in special measures
- Huge surge in hospitals using restraint
- Social workers aim to cut hospital stays
- Hospital brought out of special measures
- Still stuck in mental health hospitals
- Spotlight on hospital care
Published: 30 May 2019
