I remember one lovely female staff member actually crying, saying: I dont know how to help you. . The whole thing.". Some of the former patients we've gathered testimonies from were in these units as recently as February and March this year. Yet she quickly became alarmed by what she describes as a profound lack of care, resulting in the death of a patient earlier this year, the full details of which cannot yet be disclosed. I simply cannot thank everyone enough for being so kind. Julie visited Bonnie once a week. SL6 0PQ, In Although this is not uncommon in anorexia treatment, she says the tube was repeatedly and painfully inserted and removed against guidelines published in the British Journal of Psychiatry. Other patients make similarly disturbing claims. I was screaming and pressing the alarm but it took for ever for help to arrive. Overall: Inadequate. From what I saw, most people ended up leaving Huntercombe worse than when they arrived.. She looked like shed been in a fight. It felt like very quickly, from admission, we lost our daughter. Its Mental Health Awareness week from 915 May(mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/mentalhealth-awareness-week)and we talk to Louise Makin, Head of Internal Communications & Engagement to, Undiagnosed Emerging Personality Disorder (UEPD). The physical injuries, the trauma and pain and suffering, and they were children. The regime was harsh and far behind best practice for treating eating disorders. SL4 5UL, In "Every single day I was getting bruises all over my body. 0000011119 00000 n Until moving to my current unit, I began to believe that the way they dealt with me and my mental illness was right and what I deserved. Amber was 15 when she went into the Maidenhead unit with serious mental health problems. Bonnie says: I had nose bleeds all the time. Huntercombe Hospital Maidenhead, in Berkshire, cares for children between the ages of 12 and 18. Bonnie says she spent the first few days terrified and curled up in a ball on her bed. The data lays bare for the first time the horrific scale of sexual incidents reported at Taplow Manor, though concerns have previously been raised in relation to Huntercombe hospitals, which are now run by Active Care Group and were formerly managed by the Huntercombe Group. Amber is fighting back tears, as her mind goes back to her time in a mental health unit for teenagers. "There'd be two people - two grown adults laying across your leg, one on either arm and someone on your head holding your head in place, and that's five adults to one kid," she says. So it made me want toself-harm in different ways, rather than stop me from self-harming.". The Huntercombe Hospital Maidenhead The Huntercombe Hospital Maidenhead -Ratings and reviews Contents Contents. 0000026117 00000 n ACG Holdco Limited1 Suffolk Way, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN13 1YLCompany Number 11157123,Registered in England and Wales. It led to Huntercombecommissioning an independent review, by Contact Consulting. 0000002025 00000 n The Active Care Group says it is unable to comment on incidents that occurred before it took over The Huntercombe Group. Danae Rackliff was 15 when she was admitted there in 2017 for help with an eating disorder. And then when the restraint got too much they'd come in, pull your trousers down and IM [injection medication] you.". The details remain raw and it's clear what an enormous emotional toll her time at the Huntercombe unit has taken on the entire family. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. 0000003701 00000 n %PDF-1.4 % Active Care Group has now confirmed the unit would close by the end of May, saying a decision by the NHS to stop admitting patients had rendered its "service untenable". At first, her parents were impressed. Police are still investigating, so we are unable to reveal more details of what happened. 0000034103 00000 n Youngsters told inspectors they did not feel safe at the Maidenhead unit and felt it should be shut down. A spokesperson for Active Care group said the difficult decision to close the hospital was made after the Thames Valley Provider Collaborative stopped admissions to the hospitals acute and eating disorder wards on 23 March 2023. Taplow Manor is a specialist child and adolescent mental health inpatient service managed by Active Care Group. The Fullers are far from alone in making these shocking assertions. Neve was discharged from the hospital, where she was being treated for an eating disorder, but didn't have enough support. The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. The following year, the NHS and the Royal College of Psychiatrists set up a group to tackle the problem. Inspection report: Huntercombe Hospital School Maidenhead 21-23 January 2020 4 School details Unique reference number 142325 DfE registration number 868/6023 Local authority Windsor and Maidenhead Inspection number 10076618 Type of school Other independent special school School category Independent school Age range of pupils 12 to 18 Gender of pupils Mixed Huntercombe Hospital Maidenhead, based in Huntercombe Lane South, Taplow, provides specialist child and adolescent mental health inpatient service, including psychiatric intensive care for young . the service is performing exceptionally well. Though it is a private hospital, many of its young patients (aged 12-18 with severe or complex mental health conditions) come via NHS referrals. 0000007338 00000 n I am concerned that the wellbeing of Active Cares patients is disregarded in favour of profit.. It found some rooms were "hot and unpleasant" and some ward spaces were too small to accommodate the number of people being cared for in them. 169 0 obj <> endobj xref Amber's mother, Nikki Boughton-Smith, said: "You hand your child over thinking they're going to get the help and the care, and the minute you realise they're not getting that. and worse than ever you can't do anything about it.". And it's care which the NHS is paying millions for every year. Even one member of staff came forward to share her harrowing experience. Sky News is also aware of a claim of rape by a former patient who alleges another patient attacked them at one of Huntercombe's units. CQC have also told the hospital to make urgent improvements to the way staff carry out observations to keep young people safe. I dont blame the staff, there simply werent enough of them and they werent well trained. 3 Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany; Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, . Huntercombe Hospital, Huntercombe Lane South, Maidenhead, is a specialist child and adolescent mental health inpatient service, including psychiatric intensive care units for young people. Active Care Group took over the Huntercombe Group Hospitals in 2021. 0000012588 00000 n 0000029927 00000 n Danae's father, Dave Rackliff, told Sky News: "As a parent of a child who has suffered from the abuses of Huntercombe, now Active Care Group, the closure of Taplow Manor is a step in the right direction for mental health care in this country. hb```@9e!0!I$}.y +DFP 4 C8d3H|```Ad4%1)yv " @ayV[N0. We are in the process of contacting patients relatives directly.. Taplow Manor provides specialist mental health services for children and young people aged 12 to 18. Windsor, Bonnie says: I got too scared to eat. She blamed the care she received for the deterioration in her condition, describing how she was restrained. 0000011507 00000 n ", The previous owners of The Huntercombe Group, Elli Investments Group, told us: "We regret that these hospitals and specialist care services, which were owned and independently managed by The Huntercombe Group, failed to meet the expected standards for high-quality care. I was like: If I dont finish it, Im getting the whole thing again. The Huntercombe Group, now part of Active Care Group, ran the unit as well as other hospitals. The CQC found the hospital had a vacancy rate of 40% for registered nursing staff and that 53% of nursing shifts, between 31 May and 27 June, were covered by agency staff. Active Care Group took over the Huntercombe Group Hospitals in 2021. FEMAIL has spoken to former patients of Huntercombe Hospital Maidenhead Bonnie Fuller, 16, explains how she was left with PTSD after a stay in the hospital Inspectors found dried bloodstains on. And an anonymous patient, who was in the Stafford unit as recently as March this year, told us: "On multiple occasions I would hide myself in a corner of a room and self-harm without staff noticing my arm bleeding when they checked on me. The return of heroin chic is a cynical betrayal of young A problem shared by mother-of-four and GP Clare Bailey: I'm Rest easy! It is a 60 bed independent hospital. A scandal-hit childrens mental health hospital will close months after an investigation by The Independent uncovered claims of poor care and systemic abuse. The DHSC was approached, but would not comment specifically on sexual incident allegations. More than 50 former Huntercombe patients have spoken to Sky News as part of a joint investigation with The Independent. When patients tried to get help from the nurses station, they were ignored. Download our brochure to learn more about the services we provide at Active Care Group. Conditions we support, but are not limited to: Taplow Manor is one of the UKs largest providers of specialist mental health care for children and adolescents. Patients told us blood on the walls after episodes of head-banging wasn't cleaned up properly, which they found to be "triggering". Instead she recalls: There were times I was banging my head against the wall, and although Im slight, Id have four men restraining me. 0000068264 00000 n By then she was desperate to die andmade several attempts on my life. The incident led to an outcry from former patients who started a petition to seek the hospitals closure. Click here to view our latest report & rating. The move comes after an investigation by The Independent and Sky News heard from more than 50 patients who alleged systemic abuse by the provider, while Taplow Manor is facing two police probes one into a patient death and a second into the alleged rape of a child involving staff. Of the other private providers, Cygnet Health Care had 704 incidents reported across four hospitals, covering around 200 beds. Words cannot express how much that means to me and my family. From the west, Huntercombe Hospital Maidenhead can be accessed via Bath Road (A4) from Maidenhead town centre. "A lot of other patients were using different self-harming methods - staff didn't stop them from doing that. Bonnie refused to tell her mother what had happened. Taplow Manor will be the third childrens hospital owned by the former Huntercombe Group to be closed following concerns over poor care. Alice, now 18 years old,says during that time she learned new ways to self-harm. When we spoke with Amber, her mother Nikki went upstairs. We are committed to providing caring, supportive, recovery-focused treatment to young people with mental health conditions. Her family made a formal complaint to the hospital in April 2020. 0000033836 00000 n Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player, "When I used to be restrained people would hold me down for hours and hours. Huntercombe Lane South, Taplow, Maidenhead, Berkshire, SL6 0PQ (01628) 667881. 0000010598 00000 n Our goal is to care for people and help them lead rich, rewarding and meaningful lives, however that looks for them. It also builds upon the feedback we have received from young people and their families about what matters to them. It has 59 beds in total, providing eating disorder services, general CAMHS inpatient services, and psychiatric intensive care services. She says it led to her making "an attempt" three or four times a day. Despite warnings being sent to the health service at a rate of more than one a day since 2019 a total of 1,643 sexual incident reports no action was taken to stop vulnerable NHS patients being sent to the scandal-hit unit. However, a spokesperson said: We deliver our services in line with specifications set out by the Royal College of Psychiatrists and NICE, and we are regulated by the CQC. Aged 14, she was taken out of school and referred to childrens mental health services (CAMHS). This story was updated with a response from Active Care Group about its Ivestsey Bank Hospital. If this service has not had a CQC inspection since it registered with us, our judgement may be based on our assessment of declarations and evidence supplied by the service. The alleged failings at Taplow Manor in Berkshire, then run by The Huntercombe Group, put young people at risk, according to former workers. Id scratch my legs or arms until the skin came off or bang my head until I almost knocked myself out.. Over 1,600 sexual safety incidents in one 59-bed childrens hospital, Save over 10% on everything with the Boots advantage card, 15% off all first time bookings over 45 - Treatwell promo code, 30% off selected brands with this Notino discount code, Extra 20% off selected fashion and sportswear at Very, Over 20% off makeup and skincare in the Charlotte Tilbury sale, Compare broadband packages side by side to find the best deal for you, Compare cheap broadband deals from providers with fastest speed in your area, All you need to know about fibre broadband, Best Apple iPhone Deals in the UK May 2023, Compare iPhone contract deals and get the best offer this May, Compare the best mobile phone deals from the top networks and brands. A spokesperson said: Taplow Manor is the largest unit of its type in the country, and the number of incidents reflects that. The hospital has capacity for 59 beds but at the time of the inspection in July could only admit 50 patients because of restrictions on its registration. Dr Rosena Allin Khan, Labours mental health spokesperson, told The Independent that the government must commit to tackling sexual incidents within inpatient units. NHS England paid The Huntercombe Group almost 190m in the years since 2015. This has hugely impacted staff and ultimately contributed in part to this regrettable decision to close our CAMHs beds which is the worst outcome for patients.. Distress and fear, but also relief that Bonnie would receive the help she so desperately needed. What it felt like and obviously the individual things that happen whilst you're there. Situated in Maidenhead, we specialise in supporting young people with severe or complex mental health conditions who need intensive inpatient treatment. Mental health hospital facing teen mistreatment claims to shut after Sky News investigation, Taplow Manor is set to close by the end of May, Amber Rehman blames the care she received for the deterioration in her mental health condition, Amber has detailed a catalogue of failings in her care, Patients of mental health units tell their story. In a statement, Huntercombe Young People Ltd said: "We recognise that significant change was needed at our Maidenhead hospital and we have recently brought in a new leadership team to roll out an urgent action plan. Official information from NHS about The Huntercombe Hospital Maidenhead including contact details, directions, opening hours and service/treatment details A single childrens mental health hospital with just 59 beds reported more than 1,600 sexual safety incidents in four years, shocking NHS figures reveal. A genuine person-centred approach sits at the heart of our model because no two individuals share exactly the same needs, hopes and challenges. "We, as parents, were reassured by staff that this was standard practice, although we have subsequently learned that restraint should only ever be used as a last resort, not as a routine procedure. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? How to look regal by the experts the royals rely on:Tinned mackerel for youthful skin, walking through a Want better sleep? Where we find issues we have taken, and continue to take, decisive action. I came forward about the sexual abuse I experienced by a Huntercombe staff member in the hope that future patients would be protected. Huntercombe Hospital Maidenhead was placed in special measures by the CQC in February and is now rated as requiring improvement. 0000003168 00000 n Taplow Manor is due to be closed next month. Taplow Manor was threatened with closure by health watchdog, the Care Quality Commission, last week if it failed to make improvements following a damning report. It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times. Bonnie became anorexic after beingbullied and the death of her grandmother. The service previously operated under the name Huntercombe Hospital Maidenhead, but has since changed management. The Maidenhead unit is currently rated by inspectors from regulator the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as "requiring improvement", and the Stafford unit as "inadequate". But just one Huntercombe Hospital in Maidenhead was responsible for more than half of these reports to the health service. We are dedicated to providing caring, supportive, recovery-focused treatment and we achieve this by working together with our young people, their families and other professionals. Our model of care is clinically led and has been put together by our doctors, nurses, psychologists, therapists, social worker and other experts in this field. . Amber Rehman, who told Sky News "I've been suicidal all my life", was 15 when she went into the Maidenhead unit with serious mental health problems. During one visit, she found Bonnies face was really swollen. Amber was restrained to prevent her from self-harming, or to be fed through a nasal tube. Then, in November 2018, she was sectioned under the mental health act and sent to Kennet, the eating disorders ward at Huntercombe. In the future they're going to help me become more independent with the care and support they provide.