Winterbourne view report

The Winterbourne View hospital was a private hospital designed to accommodate 24 patients in two separate wards. The abuse at Winterbourne was exposed when a Panorama investigation broadcasted on the television on 31st May 2011, the footage reviled the physical and psychological abuse suffered by people with learning disabilities and challenging behavior at the hospital by the staff. Local social services and the English national regulator (Care Quality Commission) had received a number of warnings but the mistreatment carried on. One senior nurse reported his concerns to the management at Winterbourne View and to CQC, but nothing was done about his complaint. In result of this exposure, the public funded hospital was shut down in June 2011. On 21 June 2011, 86 people and organizations wrote to the Prime Minister, David Cameron, about the revelations, that included the following…"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.
The Daily Mail said "Without the investigation by the BBC's Panorama, given huge coverage in the Mail, the abuse of patients at Winterbourne View might be continuing to this day. As it is, the secure hospital and two other care homes have been shut down, 11 guilty staff have been brought to justice – and a devastating report now exposes the serial failings of the local NHS, police and health watchdogs.”
During the serious case review, as well as reports from the police, the CQC and the local NHS, the Review drew the following conclusions: Patients stayed at Winterbourne View for too long and were too far from home. - the average length of stay was 19 month. Almost half