Health bosses learned of abuse allegations at hospital from TV show

Whorlton Hall was featured on an episode of BBC’s Panorama, where it was alleged that vulnerable patients with learning difficulties were being mistreated.

There had been two patients from Staffordshire receiving care at the County Durham hospital but Staffordshire County Council members were told one had left shortly after turning 18.

And on Monday members of the Staffordshire Transforming Care Partnership attended a county council select committee to discuss action taken to assure safety for patients with complex needs in independent hospitals in the wake of the programme.

Jennifer Napier-Dodd, transforming care programme manager, told Monday’s meeting: “We had patients at Whorlton Hall so we did everything we possibly could to ensure their safety. It was rated highly by the CQC (Care Quality Commission).

“Many people from the team visited Whorlton Hall on numerous occasions – we were in constant contact with the patients we visited. Every other weekend we had staff from staff come from Whorlton Hall to talk to us.

“Despite all of that there was this distressing incident. It took us by surprise.

“That’s when we put in additional measures. We thought we had enough measures in place at Whorlton Hall but we didn’t. We are trying to work together to see what measures we can put in to reduce the risk – but I can’t say that it will go down to zero.

“I sat opposite the Whorlton Hall deputy manager who was featured on the programme. I had no inkling that anything was amiss. Parents were really happy with the care.

“The young lady in question turned 18 when she was at Whorlton Hall. She was on the discharge pathway, we had identified a placement in South Staffordshire for her. We received a request for her to have her 18th birthday there and we delayed her discharge by two weeks to allow her to do that.

“When we saw the programme ourselves we were very shocked.”

But committee member Councillor Phil Hewitt said: “I struggle to understand we have professionals who didn’t spot it, yet we have TV programme makers who don’t know the ins and outs of how it should be done and it took them to expose the problems.

“Have we got another one around the corner – are we waiting for the next one to be exposed or do you generally think we are on top of this? It genuinely concerns me it took non-healthcare professionals to expose this and bring it to the forefront.”

A report to Monday’s Healthy Staffordshire Select Committee said: “The CCG (Clinical Commissioning Group) were made aware of the planned screening of the Panorama programme and its content on May 3. At this point immediate actions were taken to establish whether local patients were involved and once this was confirmed further action took place."

Whorlton Hall was given a good rating by the CQC in 2017.

A statement released by Whorlton Hall operator Cygnet Healthcare in May stated: “We are shocked and deeply saddened by the allegations made against members of staff at Whorlton Hall, part of the Danshell Group, which Cygnet recently acquired.

“We take these allegations extremely seriously. We have suspended all the members of staff involved and informed all relevant authorities including the police, who have instigated an inquiry, and we are cooperating fully with their investigation.

“We have a zero tolerance of this behaviour at Cygnet. This appalling behaviour is entirely inconsistent with our values and high standards and we remain absolutely committed to delivering the highest quality healthcare, which our patients and residents expect and deserve.

“We have transferred all the patients to other services. Until the conclusion of the police investigation, we are unable to comment further with regards to Whorlton Hall.

“Those implicated in this programme have betrayed not only some of society’s most vulnerable people but also the thousands of people at Cygnet who work daily with dedication and compassion to look after the people in their care.”