Hospital Abuse Reports Calls For Fundamental Changes

A report into abuse at a private hospital has called for fundamental changes to be made to how care for vulnerable adults is commissioned and monitored.

The serious case review into events at Winterbourne View near Bristol comes after 11 former staff members admitted offences against patients.

Report author Margaret Flynn said that hospital owners, Castlebeck. took "financial reward without the responsibility".

The independent report also revealed concerns had been raised before the Panorama report that uncovered abuse at Winterbourne View.

The safety of dozens of patients was raised but the NHS was only told about a handful.

From the opening of the hospital in 2006 until 2011, there were 38 safeguarding alerts raised about 20 patients from the unit. Only one in five of those were reported to the NHS.

The NHS do not appear to have been notified in any way on three alerts – an allegation of abuse by staff, concerns about the attitude of some staff, and an allegation of assault by a member of staff.

Margaret Flynn said Castlebeck had "promoted an unworkable management structure" and relied on "poorly paid and untrained staff".

Peter Murphy, the head of South Gloucestershire Safeguarding Adults Board, said he wanted to convey his "deep regret" for what had happened at the hospital.

"In particular, I would like to express our regret to the hospital's patients and to their families, friends and carers," he said.

"Winterbourne View hospital should have been a safe place for them to be treated with care and compassion.

"But the hospital's owners, Castlebeck Care Ltd, failed to provide that care."

South Gloucestershire Council said it "fully accepted" the findings of the report.

Eleven former workers at the private hospital have pleaded guilty to almost 40 charges of abuse and are due to be sentenced later at Bristol Crown Court.

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