TEN PEOPLE have been charged following an investigation into abuses of patients at a care home in Bristol owned by Irish investors, JP McManus, Dermot Desmond and John Magnier.
A BBC Panoramaprogramme, which showed patients being held down, slapped, mocked and doused in water at the Winterbourne View home – part of the Castlebeck group bought by the Irish investors in 2005 – prompted a police investigation. Yesterday, Avon and Somerset Police said 10 people had been charged with ill-treatment and neglect offences under the Mental Health Act, while three more, arrested on suspicion of causing ill-treatment, remain on police bail while further investigation is carried out.
The conditions at the home, which was closed for a time by Castlebeck – were filmed secretly between February and March this year by the BBC after a whistle-blower, unhappy at the response of management to his complaints, went to Panorama.
The disclosures led to a British Department of Health investigation, along with another by the Nursing and Midwifery Council, which suspended the registration of two nurses, pending a full investigation into allegations of serious breaches of the nursing code of conduct.
In recent days, Castlebeck announced that “fundamental changes and improvements” have been or are to be made at all of its 20 homes in the UK that “will make a real difference to people in our care, their families and friends”.
The company’s management has been completely overhauled, along with the appointment of new senior executives and increased investment in staff and staff-training.
External experts have been appointed to handle whistleblowing complaints in future, it said.
“Poor quality will not be tolerated. We remain deeply sorry and apologise for incidences where our services have in the past not met the high standards that we, those we support and their families, expect and deserve,” said Castlebeck’s chief executive, Lee Reed.