Winterbourne View
The Winterbourne View hospital inquiry occurred at Winterbourne View, a private hospital at Hambrook, South Gloucestershire, England, owned and operated by Castlebeck. A Panorama investigation broadcast on television in 2011, exposed the physical and psychological abuse suffered by people with learning disabilities and challenging behaviour at the care home.
Local social services and the English national regulator (Care Quality Commission) had received various warnings but the mistreatment continued. One senior nurse reported his concerns to the management at Winterbourne View and to CQC, but his complaint was not taken up.
The public funded hospital has been shut down as a result of the abuse that took place.
The undercover footage showed staff repeatedly assaulting and harshly restraining patients under chairs. Staff gave patients cold punishment showers, left one outside in near zero temperatures, and poured mouthwash into another's eyes. They pulled patients' hair and forced medication into patients' mouths. Victims were shown screaming and shaking, and one patient was seen trying to jump out of a second floor window to escape the torment, and was then mocked by staff members. One patient was repeatedly poked in the eyes.
A clinical psychologist who reviewed the footage described the abuse as "torture".
On 21 June 2011, 86 people and organisations wrote to the Prime Minister, David Cameron about the revelations, "We are aware of the various actions currently being taken within and outside government – such as the DH review and CQC internal inquiry. We hope to make submissions to those both individually and collectively. However, on their own these will not be enough and a clear programme is needed to achieve change."
The prime minister responded saying he was “appalled” at the “catalogue of abuses” Panorama uncovered.
In June 2011 the Association of Supported Living issued a press statement, which was followed up in writing to every member of parliament in the United Kingdom, calling for community based supported living services to replace institutional services for people with learning disabilities.
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