Vow to protect ex-residents of scandal home
MORE needs to be done to protect former Winterbourne View residents, the government was told yesterday.
Ministers admitted the episode was an intolerable "national scandal" and vowed to correct it.
Health Minister Norman Lamb was summoned to the Commons to respond to an urgent question on the scandal after a follow-up Panorama investigation revealed fresh concerns.
Last week six people were jailed for their role in abuse at the private hospital, near Bradley Stoke.
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Mr Lamb told MPs: "What has been exposed by Panorama is utterly intolerable and has to come to an end.
"I am absolutely determined when I make the final response for the Government by the end of November that it will be robust and clear and that everyone understands what has to happen.
"Years and years of public money being spent on putting people into inappropriate settings, often putting them at risk of abuse – this is a national scandal and it has to end."
Labour's Shadow Minister Liz Kendall, who triggered the urgent debate, said there were "serious concerns" about whether the government had taken all necessary action.
Jack Lopresti, the Tory MP for Filton and Bradley Stoke, said: "We know that on previous occasions, South Gloucestershire council and Avon and Somerset police received countless alerts, but if it had not been for the BBC and Panorama, we would never have found out about this issue. When I saw the programme last night, I was appalled that patients can be moved hundreds of miles without their families – and their parents in particular – being told. I thought that was an outrage."
Bristol East MP Kerry McCarthy said care homes were closing in Bristol, while care was being outsourced in South Gloucestershire.
She said: "Following the case of Winterbourne View, which is just outside my constituency, there is a lack of confidence in the area in the private sector."
Kingswood MP Chris Skidmore called for a starred grading system for care suppliers.
Comments
by andyyandyy
Wednesday, October 31 2012, 11:17AM
“The state of all carehomes is poor and this wont be teh last. My wife who is now a qualified nurse has worked in various care homes before and since she qualified and has found issues she had to report. Her biggest issue is that on a nightshift in her last nursing home there was only 1 nurse and 1 carer on duty to put everyone to bed. The residence are in a nursing home not a care home for a reason. Like all staff she was not given any training and on her first shift was not even shown what she had to do.
Care homes are a private business and like any other private business their main goal is profit which is why homes are not staff correctly, there is not enough training given to staff and the violence staff get is beyond a joke, again the violence probably wouldnt have been there if the homes were run better.
Is there any surprised that most care homes are now owned by foriegn investers who see care/nursing homes in the UK as an easy profit
As my wife always said given the cost you pay to be in a home, you would be better off living full time on a cruise ship as it would be cheaper and you would get better daily care.”
by Alpin
Wednesday, October 31 2012, 9:13AM
“Kerry McC, there would not be a lack of confidence in private sector service provision, if the regulator CQC did it's job properly. This service should have been inspected by a competant professional who understood how supporting people with challenging behaviour should work.
AND
Chris S, the regulatory had a star rating system but was somehow talked out of continuing it by the DoH...!!!! Ofcourse services need to be star rated and regularly inspected by professionals who know how the service should be run properly. I heard that CQC send social care inspectors to asess hospital services. How safe is that???? hospital professionals will run rings round the inspector.”