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AIBU?

Whorlton Hall abuse

98 replies

cansu · 23/05/2019 17:25

I have looked on many sections and cannot find any threads on this. Surely I can't be the only person to be heartbroken at watching the violence and abuse of vulnerable people with autism and disabilities? Where is the outrage from others on here? I can't even find anything on Matt Hancock's twitter or website with a response to what is a terrible verdict on the NHS commissioners, clinicians, management and the regulator.

OP posts:

Report

Cariadne · 23/05/2019 17:31

It’s awful, isn’t it? So distressing to watch. David Cameron swore never again but here we are - what was actually done to prevent this abuse? It’s despicable.

RattyTat · 23/05/2019 17:35

I've seen at least two threads on it. There's one in Telly Addicts, and I saw another last night(Can't remember if chat or AIBU.)

cansu · 23/05/2019 17:36

My d's in in a hospital for people with learning disabilities. I thought he was safe but how do I know that? This place was rated Good by cqc. I am sure carers were nice as pie when people visited. They need to be closed down.

OP posts:

tadpole39 · 23/05/2019 17:38

Watched this afternoon, wept for a good deal of it. Sometimes I don’t want to live in a world where people do this and think it’s ok, it is heartbreaking. Glad to see Alex looking happier and in a more appropriate young room.

ByeGermsByeWorries · 23/05/2019 17:39

I was absolutely disgusted. Particularly by the group of men making disgusting sexual commentaries and terrorising Alex with balloons and threatening her with more male staff coming into her room. Made me really angry watching it. I can't believe this sort of awful behaviour goes on or how people can do this to such vulnerable people.

TravellingSpoon · 23/05/2019 17:40

Large institutions like this should be closed for good. they are awful places.

Smaller, supported living places are much better for the individual, either on their own or in smaller settings.

hatgirl · 23/05/2019 17:42

There were a few threads last night.

You can't say never again. Abusers will always find ways to abuse, whether that's in a hospital setting or a community setting or in other walks of life.

BBQsAreSooooOverrated · 23/05/2019 17:48

It's horrendous, I remember watching the Winterbourne one too. Makes me sick and angry.
My DD has severe autism is non verbal and has a learning disability, it's highly likely that she will be unable to live independently and makes me so upset that I can't protect her forever

NoBaggyPants · 23/05/2019 17:52

This is nothing new. It's heartbreaking when it's publicised but then people just forget again. Out of sight, out of mind.

If you are interested in finding out more, please look at the cases of Connor Sparrowhawk and Thomas Rawnsley, two young men who died in similar circumstances.

www.theguardian.com/society/2016/apr/02/never-thought-he-wouldnt-come-home-why-son-connor-sparrowhawk-die

femidom12 · 23/05/2019 17:54

Awful sadistic behaviour from the kind of bullying idiots you meet at school and hope never to run into again.

NoBaggyPants · 23/05/2019 17:54

And a link to the page set up by Thomas's family. They're still seeking justice.

www.facebook.com/IAmThomas-669649606478943/

Remember this isn't just care workers who are abusive and neglectful. There will be nurses, psychiatrists and GPs all regularly interacting with the staff and residents of these homes, and all turning a blind eye.

Nanny0gg · 23/05/2019 18:04

I thought Victorian asylums had all been closed.
This is horrific in the 21st century

CheeseToastieAndABrew · 23/05/2019 18:06

Absolutely dreadful, I can't even repeat what I wished on one of the staff last night! Premeditated abuse and they all just thought it was funny.

There was a nurse last night that just stood there whilst a resident was pinned down, his glasses taken off him and worn by a staff member and then passed chewing gum around whilst he had the resident's head in between his knees. She was still stood there when another taunted him by telling him she was going to remove some of his possessions and confiscate them, she stood there whilst the staff member walked off with his stuff. I hope she is struck off, but I doubt it. She was complicit in this abuse but will get off with a warning no doubt. The rest need to see the inside of a cell.

Whilst care staff are paid an utter pittance for doing such important work, you will get gutter snakes like all those last night. I was surprised the CQC didn't do another inspection but they are up for a big one when (if?) their time comes.

Grumpbum123 · 23/05/2019 18:07

It was worse than any horror film I’ve seen

DriveInSaturday · 23/05/2019 18:12

Can anyone link to the threads from yesterday please? I had a look on the first couple of pages of Telly Addicts and Chat, and couldn't find anything. What an appalling indictment of humanity and of what we still allow to happen to vulnerable adults who have no realistic way of complaining. What sort of 'treatment' were those people getting? How could that work culture be acceptable?

RattyTat · 23/05/2019 18:17

It's under Undercover Hospital Abuse in Telly Addicts.

RattyTat · 23/05/2019 18:23

Also a thread in Chat: Is anyone watching BBC1 right now. Is anyone watching BBC1 right now
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/3592875-Is-anyone-watching-BBC1-right-now

RattyTat · 23/05/2019 18:24

Panorama - Undercover hospital abuse.
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/telly_addicts/3592900-Panorama-Undercover-hospital-abuse

I haven't seen this programme myself so can't comment but there were at least two threads on the subject.

topcat2014 · 23/05/2019 18:29

So distressing - I hope there are criminal cases. The men seemed particularly violent to me

StayAChild · 23/05/2019 18:39

Absolutely heartbreaking. The whistleblower was interviewed this morning on BBC Breakfast. He was asked what causes this type of nastiness - was it lack of training or low pay? He replied with it's the culture and that staff were promoted into posts without the correct experience or qualifications, amongst other things.
It's so very worrying.

TractorTart · 23/05/2019 18:56

Many years ago I worked for an agency and was sent to various care homes. There was one that was really crap, I didn't see anyone hurting anyone but I did see people being ridiculed. It upset me so much I told the agency about it and said I never wanted to work there again. The agency did not do anything about the complaint and told me that other agency staff had said the same and didn't want to be placed there.
I guess the agency didn't want to lose the contract with them.
I still feel bad that I didn't do more

oneforthepain · 23/05/2019 19:02

Agree this is absolutely cultural. Otherwise, it would not have been concealed.

It's also not an isolated incident.

The only way this will change is if inspections are carried out "undercover" to expose how they operate when they don't know they're being checked.

Abusive people want to get away with it, of course they won't commit abuse in front of inspectors.

This same kind of horror happens in mental health units. And again nobody listens because we as a society do not listen to people with mental illness. We dismiss it as a figment of their mental illness and allow their abuse to continue.

It's abhorrent.

There will be nurses, psychiatrists and GPs all regularly interacting with the staff and residents of these homes, and all turning a blind eye.

This in particular I find incredibly upsetting, because it's true. Those professionals are supposed to be alert to warning signs of this kind of abuse and step in to raise concerns. Far too often they just don't because they don't want to believe their peers would abuse.

So they allow it to continue.

Every single HCP who has turned a blind eye to warning signs of institutional abuse is complicit in that abuse. Every last one of them.

FoxFoxSierra · 23/05/2019 19:35

I hadn't even heard of this but I will watch it, it sounds like I will need a strong stomach I have reported a nursing home to the cqc before, I was sent there with an agency and I witnessed the most horrific practices going on, the cqc did fuck all and I was let go from the agency a short while later despite allegedly having legal protection as a whistleblower. The whole thing stinks, everyone knows what goes on but too many people are making too much money out of the industry

Cloudpillows · 23/05/2019 20:07

Me too. I worked in a SEN School/care home. Abuse rife. And so many complicit in turning a blind eye. I raised concerns and was crucified. Foxfoxsierra is correct there is too much money in private provision for ASD/Sen. It is utterly corrupt. And you have to be very brave to whistleblow. You will lose your job, career, reputation. People in this industry are ruthless. I did not see one child helped by the ‘specialist ASD provision but saw many traumatised. All gov agencies complicit in covering up abuses. Good for Panorama catching them out. It will continue.

Cloudpillows · 23/05/2019 20:08

There is no protection for whistleblowers.

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