Calls for ‘rapid’ review of inpatient mental health care following Sky News investigation
Labour has called for a review of inpatient mental health care following a Sky News investigation which raised serious concerns about the treatment of more than 20 teenagers.
The investigation gathered testimonies from a large group of former patients or their relatives who were in children’s mental health units run by a single provider – The Huntercombe Group.
In response to our report, Dr Rosena Allin-Khan MP, Labour’s shadow cabinet minister for mental health, has written to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Steve Barclay calling for a “rapid” review.
She said: “Yesterday’s Sky News and Independent report into the treatment of young women at inpatient units run by The Huntercombe Group was extremely distressing.
“Patients, and their families, rightly expect to be safe in inpatient settings.
“With patients suffering from PTSD as a result of their treatment, the long-term impact of their experiences cannot be ignored.”
The Huntercombe Group
Sky News spoke to more than 20 former patients who went to Huntercombe units over a ten-year period – some as recently as February and March this year.
There were recurring themes in their complaints – from the overuse of restraint to inadequate staffing levels leaving people at risk of self harm.
Nikki Boughton-Smith is the mother of Amber Rehman – one of the patients we interviewed for our investigation.
Amber Rehman
She said: “I think a really important point is that these young people who have spoken out are not unique incidences.
“From the great work Sky News has done, we know others have been diagnosed with PTSD.”
Asked about her daughter, Nikki said: “Amber is slowly finding the words to articulate her experience – which, like many of the girls have done – is very, very hard to do that.”
In response to our report, mental health organisations said they welcomed a pledge by the Department of Health to investigate the issues raised by Sky News.
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The Sky News investigation found evidence of the mistreatment of teenagers at mental health facilities
‘Must never happen again’
Tom Quinn from eating disorder charity, Beat, told Sky News: “These reports of appalling practices and a failure to provide specialist treatment to help address patients’ mental illnesses are shocking.
“We welcome news the Department of Health and Social Care are investigating these allegations. It’s crucial this investigation is comprehensive and steps are taken to ensure this mistreatment is never allowed to happen again.”
In a tweet, the Royal College of Psychiatrists said: ‘It’s devastating to hear the allegations of the awful treatment of 22 young women in a mental health hospital group over the last decade.”
The Huntercombe Group merged with Active Care Group in December 2021.
It said: “The previous owners retain all the legal entities and associated records for these facilities prior to their acquisition. The current group is therefore unable to comment on the services provided prior to this date.”
The previous owners, Elli Investments Group, said it regrets the hospitals, which were independently managed, failed to meet the expected standards for high quality care.
A Department of Health and Social care spokesperson told Sky News: “The allegations of mistreatment that have been raised are deeply concerning.
“We take these reports very seriously and are investigating the concerns raised and are working with NHS England and the CQC to ensure all mental health inpatient settings are providing the standard of care we expect.”
Sir Keir Starmer has joined other European leaders in Kyiv to press Russia to agree an unconditional 30-day ceasefire.
The prime minister is attending the summit alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, recently-elected German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
It is the first time the leaders of the four countries have travelled to Ukraine at the same time – arriving in the capital by train – with their meeting hosted by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Sir Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz travelling in the saloon car of a special train to Kyiv. Pic: Reuters
Leaders arrive in Kyiv by train. Pic: PA
It comes after Donald Trump called for “ideally” a 30-day ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow, and warned that if any pause in the fighting is not respected “the US and its partners will impose further sanctions”.
Security and defence analyst Michael Clarke told Sky News presenter Samantha Washington the European leaders are “rowing in behind” the US president, who referred to his “European allies” for the first time in this context in a post on his Truth Social platform.
“So this meeting is all about heaping pressure on the Russians to go along with the American proposal,” he said.
“It’s the closest the Europeans and the US have been for about three months on this issue.”
Sir Keir Starmer, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Emmanuel Macron among world leaders in Kyiv. Pic: AP
Trump calls for ceasefire. Pic: Truth Social
Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine and its allies are ready for a “full, unconditional ceasefire” for at least 30 days starting on Monday.
Ahead of the meeting on Saturday, Sir Keir, Mr Macron, Mr Tusk and Mr Merz released a joint statement.
European leaders show solidarity – but await Trump’s backing
The hope is Russia’s unilateral ceasefire, such as it’s worth, can be extended for a month to give peace a chance.
But ahead of the meeting, Ukrainian sources told Sky News they are still waiting for President Donald Trump to put his full weight behind the idea.
The US leader has said a 30-day ceasefire would be ideal, but has shown no willingness yet for putting pressure on Russian president Vladimir Putin to agree.
The Russians say a ceasefire can only come after a peace deal can be reached.
European allies are still putting their hopes in a negotiated end to the war despite Moscow’s intransigence and President Trump’s apparent one-sided approach favouring Russia.
Ukrainians would prefer to be given enough economic and military support to secure victory.
But in over three years, despite its massive economic superiority to Russia and its access to more advanced military technology, Europe has not found the political will to give Kyiv the means to win.
Until they do, Vladimir Putin may decide it is still worth pursuing this war despite its massive cost in men and materiel on both sides.
“We reiterate our backing for President Trump’s calls for a peace deal and call on Russia to stop obstructing efforts to secure an enduring peace,” they said.
“Alongside the US, we call on Russia to agree a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create the space for talks on a just and lasting peace.”
Sir Keir and Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting in March. Pic: AP
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Putin’s Victory Day parade explained
The leaders said they were “ready to support peace talks as soon as possible”.
But they warned that they would continue to “ratchet up pressure on Russia’s war machine” until Moscow agrees to a lasting ceasefire.
“We are clear the bloodshed must end, Russia must stop its illegal invasion, and Ukraine must be able to prosper as a safe, secure and sovereign nation within its internationally recognised borders for generations to come,” their statement added.
“We will continue to increase our support for Ukraine.”
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The European leaders are set to visit the Maidan, a central square in Ukraine’s capital where flags represent those who died in the war.
They are also expected to host a virtual meeting for other leaders in the “coalition of the willing” to update them on progress towards a peacekeeping force.
Military officers from around 30 countries have been involved in drawing up plans for a coalition, which would provide a peacekeeping force in the event of a ceasefire being agreed between Russia and Ukraine.
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This force “would help regenerate Ukraine’s armed forces after any peace deal and strengthen confidence in any future peace”, according to Number 10.
A special constable has been jailed after taking pictures on his phone from bodycam footage showing a dying man.
Former police volunteer William Heggs, 23, was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment at Leicester Crown Court on Friday after showing the photos of victim William Harty, 28, to a female colleague and storing them on his Snapchat account.
Mr Harty was found seriously injured in a residential street in Leicester on 25 October 2021 and Heggs had attended the scene, helping with CPR before paramedics arrived.
Mr Harty died in hospital a day later and the man responsible for his injuries, his brother-in-law Martin Casey, was subsequently convicted of his manslaughter.
Heggs showed the pictures he had taken of bodycam footage of Mr Harty’s body to a Leicestershire Police constable, who reported Heggs and said she did not like seeing blood.
His phone was seized and officers discovered other photographs and video clips of bodyworn footage of incidents Heggs had attended on duty, including of a knife seizure, use of baton and pepper spray, and a man with an injured hand receiving first aid.
He also took pictures of a police computer screen, showing details of crimes and suspects, without consent.
Heggs stored the materials in a Snapchat folder and disclosed graphic details – most of which were not in the public domain – about the injuries to a woman who was killed in a road traffic collision he had attended, to a friend on the social media platform.
Heggs was suspended from the force in November 2021 and resigned in October 2024 before pleading guilty to 11 computer misuse and data protection offences this March.
William Harty’s widow Mandy Casey. Pic: PA
‘He has traumatised me’
Mr Harty’s widow, Mandy Casey, said in a victim impact statement read to the court that Heggs “took (her) husband’s dignity when he was most vulnerable”.
“You don’t take someone’s dignity and pride from them on their deathbed.”
She continued: “When I found out special constable Heggs had done this, I just wanted to ask why. He has traumatised me. I feel I will never know if he showed them to others.”
Ms Casey said she was still scared that photos of her husband’s body might appear on social media.
She added that she had lost trust in the police.
Public trust in police ‘significantly undermined’
Judge Timothy Spencer told Heggs, who has autism and ADHD, that he was “probably too immature to be working as a police officer” as he handed down the sentence.
He said Heggs had received “extensive training”, including on the importance of data protection, and knew he should only share materials for “a genuine policing purpose”.
Heggs’s actions had “significantly undermined” public trust and confidence in police, according to the judge.
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Malcolm McHaffie, from the Crown Prosecution Service, added: “William Heggs abused the public’s trust in the office he held as a special police constable.
“He violated the dignity of the deceased victims for no apparent reason other than what could be considered personal fascination and to gain credibility among his peers.”
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