Whistleblowers claim children ‘seriously harmed’ at scandal-hit mental health hospitals

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. In a third exposé into allegations of poor care at private hospitals run by The Huntercombe Group, former employees have claimed that staffing levels were so low “every day” that patients were neglected, resulting in: Patients as young as 13 being force-fed while restrained Left alone to self-harm instead of being supervised Left to “wet themselves” because staff couldn’t supervise toilet visits One staff member, Rebecca Smith, said she was left in tears after having to restrain and force-feed a patient. email [email protected] Following a series of investigations by The Independent and Sky News, 50 patients came forward with allegations of “systemic abuse” and poor care, spanning two decades at children’s mental health hospitals run by the organisation. Staffing levels low ‘every day’ One former staff member, Callam Smith, who worked at Taplow Manor Hospital from June 2019 to February 2022, said while there were good workers there, staffing was low “pretty much every day”. We wish Active Care Group well in their ongoing operations.” An NHS spokesperson said it continues to monitor the two units through regular site visits and by speaking to current patients following the “shocking allegations”.