Abuse of disabled people – why no action until Panorama expose?
Abuse of disabled people – why no action until Panorama expose?
A catalogue of abuse of disabled people was uncovered by BBC investigation at Winterbourne View, a private hospital for people with learning difficulties near Bristol.
06/06/2011
Secret filming revealed residents being slapped and taunted, one was teased about a suicide attempt. The treatment amounted to ‘torture’ according to experts speaking the in the programme. Four staff were arrested after the programme was aired.
Although a whistleblower reported the abuse three times and concerns were passed to the Care Quality Commission, action did not take place until the abuse was shown on national television. Julie Newman, Acting Chair, UKDPC described the CQC as ‘inept’ and raised concerns about similar situations occurring across the country in her letter to Minister for Disabled People, Maria Miller. You can download and read the full letter from the right hand column.
The CQC has now launched an internal review and will report to the Department of Health. The review will cover Winterbourne View and 30 other centres run by Castlebeck, the care company that manages Winterbourne. Spot inspections of 150 residential centres for vulnerable adults will also be carried out.
For more information go to: www.bbc.co.uk www.guardian.co.uk/society
Abuse of disabled people in residential homes is not new. One piece of research, is that by journalist John Pring, into the Longcare homes in south Buckinghamshire. The findings are in his new book Longcare Survivors: The Biography of a Care Scandal.
