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The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has reported a “systemic failure to protect people” after an inspection of Winterbourne View near Bristol. The review was ordered after BBC Panorama filmed patients being trapped under a chair, slapped, soaked in cold water and put outside in freezing weather, and taunted. Panorama was contacted by former staff member Terry Bryan who told the BBC about some abusive staff. Mr Bryan, a senior nurse, went to the media because the home’s management and the CQC had ignored his reports of the assaults on vulnerable residents.
The CQC report on Winterbourne View found owners Castlebeck Care had failed to ensure residents living at the unit were adequately protected from risk, including the risks of unsafe practices by its own staff. It said: “There was a systemic failure to protect people or to investigate allegations of abuse…..The provider had failed in its legal duty to notify the Care Quality Commission of serious incidents including injuries to patients or occasions when they had gone missing.”
It is sickening to read this stuff. Yes, Castlebeck failed to do their job and they need to be brought to account for that, but the CQC were told about the abuse and they did nothing. The only reason the CQC exists is to maintain standards in the care sector, but when they were told about abuse they sat on their arse and did nothing.
Inspectors also noted that staff did not appear to understand the needs of the people in their care and said “some staff were too ready to use methods of restraint without considering alternatives”.
This is rubbish. Despite the broadcast of disgusting images of assault by staff, the CQC is grossly misrepresenting and understating what happened. What was shown on Panorama was not restraint, it was criminal assault. Far from showing a lack of understanding of patient needs, staff could be seen to be intentionally causing distress to learning disabled residents and deriving pleasure from the abuse they were inflicting.
Police have arrested twelve people in connection with the inquiry. I am not holding my breath, but we must hope that the police recognise criminal behaviour when they are shown it and the attackers are prosecuted.
It is now about three decades since institutional care homes started to be closed down because it was recognised that they were an unsuitable environment for people with special needs to have decent life. The care in the community that was meant to replace these unsatisfactory institutions is far better where it is working. Winterbourne View is an example of the re-emergence of institutions and it is clear that the same old types of abuse are happening here too.
The CQC claims to be independent, but what does that mean? Where does its money come from? Us of course. They have a very nice website that tells you about their vision and powers and much else. What it doesn’t say is what happens if they make a complete balls of the job or simply sit back after getting their position in such a warm and cuddly organisation and do precisely nothing.
Mr Bryan had a great deal of experience in care. He went to a lot of trouble to tell the right people about what was going on at Winterbourne View and he was ignored. The only message for relatives and friends of the people who need care is that you must join together in support organisations to hold providers to account and ensure high standards. You cannot rely on the CQC or the government to see that your loved ones are not maltreated.
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