Report finds systemic failings at Winterbourne View

The owners of the independent hospital at the centre of a BBC Panorama investigation failed both in protecting the people in its care and in investigating allegations of abuse, according to a report published today.

Our report of the results of an inspection of services at Winterbourne View, also found Castlebeck Care (Teesdale) Ltd had failed in its legal duty to inform us of injuries to, or absences of, patients

We found there were “systemic failings” in protecting vulnerable people in their care.

Our Director of Operations, Amanda Sherlock, said: “This report is a damning indictment of the regime at Winterbourne View and its systemic failings to protect the vulnerable people in its care.

“It is now clear that the problems at Winterbourne View were far worse than were initially indicated by the whistleblower. He has stated that he was not aware of the level of abuse until he saw the footage from the secret filming.”

The review of the services at the assessment and treatment centre near Bristol began immediately after we were informed that Panorama had gathered evidence including filming of serious abuse.

In all, the report finds that the company was failing to meet 10 of the 16 essential standards at Winterbourne View prior to its closure last month. It shows our inspectors considered taking urgent action to close the centre before instead stopping admissions and ensuring extra staff were brought in to protect patients.

This was to allow NHS and local authority commissioners further time to find alternative placements. Once these arrangements had been made, we acted to cancel the registration of the centre.

Reports on all the company’s locations will be published later this summer while 150 services with similar characteristics to Winterbourne View are also being reviewed.

Read our full press release: CQC report on Winterbourne View confirms its owners failed to protect people from abuse.