Inspectors slam 'cruel' Cumbria hospital

Garlands Hospital: a cruel and degrading culture

A Cumbria hospital for elderly and mentally ill patients developed a " a whole systems failure" that allowed a catalogue of abuse of patients.

A damning report from the NHS inspectorate, the Commission for Health Improvement, found a culture in North Lakeland NHS Trust that was "unprofessional" "degrading" and "cruel".

And, despite the Victorian asylum where the abuse took place being replaced by a new purpose built unit last year, a CHI investigation team said it could not be sure that the problems would not be repeated.

"Some staff CHI interviewed still failed to recognise the abuse which had taken place as unacceptable practice," the commission's report said.

Director of CHI, Dr Peter Homa said it was "amongst the most deeply distressing evidence I... have ever encountered."

Some staff CHI interviewed still failed to recognise the abuse which had taken place as unacceptable practice

CHI

It is now more than four years since student nurses blew the whistle on the abuse of patients at Kielder House at Garlands Hospital.

Allegations included elderly patients with dementia being denied food, clothing and blankets, being fed while on the toilet, being washed in dirty water and being sworn at by staff.

Patients were also restrained by being tied to commodes.

Internal inquiry

However, no action was taken and it was only when similar allegations were made in 1998 that some staff were disciplined.

An internal inquiry followed, then an external inquiry, which resulted in the suspension of senior managers, including the chief executive.

The trust's chair, Mary Styth, was sacked.

CHI was sent into investigate the trust as soon as it assumed its new powers in April this year.

It described the trust's management as being "in disarray" and preoccupied with financial targets.

Nurse staffing levels in the hospital had been reduced and ward sister posts replaced with more junior posts, including healthcare assistants without a nursing qualification.

On behalf of the trust I want to take this opportunity to apologise to the patients and their families for the inexcusable treatment that took place

Nigel Woodcock, North Lakeland NHS Trust

The trust's acting chief executive, Nigel Woodcock, has fully accepted the commission's report and pledged to implement its recommendations for change.

And he added "On behalf of the trust I want to take this opportunity to apologise to the patients and their families for the inexcusable treatment that took place."

Mr Woodcock is one of several new senior managers appointed to run the trust in the past few months.

An action plan has been agreed in response to the CHI report which includes revising the complaints policy and undertaking a review of the clinical practice in the trust before the end of the year.

CHI's Dr Peter Homa said he was confident the new trust management team was working to bring about change.

"If the recommendations are fully implemented I'm confident that the service provided will be of the highest quality that these patients rightly deserve and expect," he said.