Winterbourne view
Winterbourne View Failings – Rough Draft
History:
Winterbourne view was private, residential hospital with 24 beds, for people with autism and learning disabilities. Some of whom display challenging behaviours. 73% had been admitted to the hospital under Mental Health Act powers. The hospital was essentially government funded with the average charge being £3500 per week per client. Forty-eight patients had been referred to Winterbourne View by 14 different English NHS commissioners, meaning that there was no one commissioner with a lead or strong relationship with the hospital.
In addition to this out of 49 patients, over half were not from the local area, some as far as 140 miles away. The average length of stay at Winterbourne View was around 19 months but some patients had been there more than three years. There is little evidence of urgency in considering discharge and move-on plans for Winterbourne View patients.
Culture:
One of the most striking issues is the very high number of recorded physical interventions at Winterbourne View. The Serious Case Review notes that Castlebeck Care Ltd recorded a total of 558 physical interventions between 2010 and the first quarter of 2011, an average of over 1.2 physical interventions per day.
Winterbourne View patients attended NHS Accident and Emergency services on 78 occasions. Between January 2008 and May 2011 police were involved in 29 incidents concerning Winterbourne View patients. Between January 2008 and May 2011, 40 safeguarding alerts were made to South Gloucestershire Council but these were treated as separate incidents. 27 were allegations of staff to patient assaults. The Serious Case Review provides evidence of poor quality healthcare, with routine healthcare needs not being attended to – for instance there were widespread dental problems and "most patients were plagued by constipation". Many patients were being given anti-psychotic and anti-depressant drugs without a consistent prescribing
History:
Winterbourne view was private, residential hospital with 24 beds, for people with autism and learning disabilities. Some of whom display challenging behaviours. 73% had been admitted to the hospital under Mental Health Act powers. The hospital was essentially government funded with the average charge being £3500 per week per client. Forty-eight patients had been referred to Winterbourne View by 14 different English NHS commissioners, meaning that there was no one commissioner with a lead or strong relationship with the hospital.
In addition to this out of 49 patients, over half were not from the local area, some as far as 140 miles away. The average length of stay at Winterbourne View was around 19 months but some patients had been there more than three years. There is little evidence of urgency in considering discharge and move-on plans for Winterbourne View patients.
Culture:
One of the most striking issues is the very high number of recorded physical interventions at Winterbourne View. The Serious Case Review notes that Castlebeck Care Ltd recorded a total of 558 physical interventions between 2010 and the first quarter of 2011, an average of over 1.2 physical interventions per day.
Winterbourne View patients attended NHS Accident and Emergency services on 78 occasions. Between January 2008 and May 2011 police were involved in 29 incidents concerning Winterbourne View patients. Between January 2008 and May 2011, 40 safeguarding alerts were made to South Gloucestershire Council but these were treated as separate incidents. 27 were allegations of staff to patient assaults. The Serious Case Review provides evidence of poor quality healthcare, with routine healthcare needs not being attended to – for instance there were widespread dental problems and "most patients were plagued by constipation". Many patients were being given anti-psychotic and anti-depressant drugs without a consistent prescribing