‘Treated worse than animals’: Huntercombe investigation reveals decade of mistreatment in care of more than 20 teenagers
More than 20 former patients or their relatives have revealed how they were “treated worse than animals” and failed by the “awful” care they received at mental health hospitals for teenagers.
Testimonies gathered in an investigation by Sky News raise repeated allegations of over-restraint and inadequate staffing which youngsters say left people at increased risk of self-harm.
Patients described being left in rooms with blood on the walls, and accuse staff of failing to prevent them from hurting themselves.
The mother of one girl, who wishes to remain anonymous, said that patients were “treated worse than animals” with many subjected to “clear trauma, pain and suffering”.
The allegations stretch back more than a decade, impacting teenagers being treated for serious mental health issues by a single provider – The Huntercombe Group – paid for by the NHS.
Sky News has presented its findings to the Department of Health, which described the allegations as “deeply concerning”.
A patient named Danae revealed bruises from over restraint during her care
Repeated claims of over restraint
Sky News spent months tracing the group, most of who don’t know each other, in a joint investigation with The Independent.
Eighteen-year-old Alice Sweeting, who was in Huntercombe’s Maidenhead unit for 14 months until autumn last year, told us: “No one’s going to get better in that environment.
“I think it’s awful. It shouldn’t be open. I don’t know why they’re still running.”
Alice says staff failed to stop her self-harming
At least three of the former patients we spoke to revealed they have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) since leaving the units – with their treatment at the hospital contributing to the diagnosis.
Amber Rehman, 18, said the time she spent in the unit made her mental health condition “much worse”.
“It hasn’t stopped. Every day, guaranteed. It’s been going through my head more than anything else,” she said.
“I just want to move on.”
Amber blames the care she received for the deterioration in her mental health condition
Reviews criticise ‘coercive’ restraint
Sky News has seen independent reviews – commissioned by The Huntercombe Group – which raise concerns into the care of three of the young people we’ve spoken to. Two of the reports describe the use of restraint as “coercive”.
We can also reveal the NHS has paid The Huntercombe Group nearly £190m since 2015 to provide adolescent mental health inpatient services, despite repeated criticisms about the standard of care patients have been receiving in its units.
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A Department of Health and Social care spokesperson said: “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 (Care Quality Commission) to ensure all mental health inpatient settings are providing the standard of care we expect.”
Former Children’s Commissioner Anne Longfield, who is chairing an independent review of inpatient mental health care in England, described the allegations as “barbaric” and called on the CQC to re-inspect the units “urgently” and speak to the youngsters we’ve interviewed.
Police investigate death of patient
The Huntercombe Group was taken over by Active Care Group at the end of last year. Two months after the takeover, a patient died at the group’s unit in Maidenhead, now called Taplow Manor, with Thames Valley police currently investigating.
Taplow Manor and another unit in Staffordshire remain open. Three other children’s mental health units which were part of The Huntercombe Group have closed.
Dr Sylvia Tang, who was CEO of The Huntercombe Group since June 2020 and is now CEO of Active Care Group, said: “The death of a young person at Taplow Manor in February 2022 was a tragic and sad event.
“We have already taken steps to make improvements to the service and remain committed to providing the best possible care for our patients. Our sincere condolences go out to the young person’s parents and all who have been affected.”
In response to our dossier of concerns raised by former patients, Dr Tang said: “At the time most of these incidents are alleged to have taken place, the Active Care Group, did not own the facilities at which they are purported to have happened.
“ACG acquired 12 of The Huntercombe Group services in December 2021 (including the brand), and 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.”
Active Care Group says it has “robust” processes in place.
The previous owners of The Huntercombe Group – Elli Investments Group – told Sky News: “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.”
An NHS spokesperson said: “The NHS has repeatedly made clear that all services must provide safe, high-quality care and deliver on the commitments in their contracts.
“We continue to work closely with the CQC to monitor, identify and take appropriate action where it is needed.”
A woman has been filmed cutting yellow ribbons tied to a gate in London, put up in commemoration of Israeli hostages.
When confronted by two bystanders near the gate in Muswell Hill, north London, the woman said: “I’m not committing a crime.
“If I am, then call the police and you let them know that you have an issue with this.”
In the video, a man branded the woman “a disgusting little human being,” to which she replied: “I think condoning genocide is disgusting.”
The bystander asked her: “So we’re condoning genocide?”
The woman then appeared to point at the ribbons and said: “That’s what this is.”
October 7 anniversary latest: Families demand answers
Pic: X/@mirandalevycopy
The yellow ribbon has been used as a symbol of the plight of those taken captive since the 1979 US-Iranian hostage crisis, and has become synonymous with the hostages held in Gaza since 7 October 2023.
The ribbons are used as part of the ‘Bring Them Home’ campaign, which was introduced to raise awareness of the hostages’ plight and help amplify calls for the unconditional release of those still held by Hamas.
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Two years on from October 7 attacks
The Metropolitan Police told Sky News: “Officers have stepped up reassurance patrols in the Muswell Hill area, following reports that yellow ribbons were removed from fence poles.”
A spokesperson said the force was made aware of a video circulating online which “appears to show a woman removing the ribbons in Muswell Hill” at 4.25pm on Monday.
“Officers attended the location and are reviewing the footage to determine whether any offences, including hate crime or criminal damage, have been committed. Enquiries remain ongoing,” the spokesperson added.
Officers are asking anyone with information to contact the force.
Read more from Sky News:
Two lives torn apart by October 7
Israel deports Gaza aid flotilla activists
The incident happened just a day before the second anniversary of the October 7 attack, when Hamas killed 1,200 people and took 251 back to Gaza as hostages.
Israel says 48 hostages remain in Gaza, 20 of whom are believed to be alive.
Gaza’s health ministry says Israel’s offensive has killed more than 67,000 people in the region since 7 October 2023. It does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its figures, but says more than half of those killed are women and children.
Ineos, the chemicals group founded by Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, has hit out at the government after cutting a fifth of the workforce at a factory in Hull.
The company said 60 skilled jobs were going at the Acetyls factory “as a direct result of sky-high energy costs and anti-competitive trade practices, as importers ‘dump’ product into the UK and European markets”.
It called on the UK government and European Commission to impose trade tariffs on China, complaining that a lack of action to date had resulted in “dirt cheap” carbon-heavy imports flooding the market, making its products uncompetitive.
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Ineos said the US had protected its manufacturing base through effective tariffs and warned that further jobs would be lost across Europe unless the authorities followed suit.
The company, founded by Sir Jim in 1998, is Europe’s largest producer of essential chemicals for a range of products including aspirin and paracetamol, adhesives and industrial coatings.
It recently invested £30m to switch its Hull plant energy source from natural gas to hydrogen. Ineos claimed Chinese competitors were emitting up to eight times more carbon dioxide than its UK operations.
The Saltend plant in Hull. Pic: Ineos
“This is a textbook case of the UK and Europe sleepwalking into deindustrialisation,” the firm’s statement said.
“Ineos has invested heavily at Hull to cut CO₂, yet we’re being undercut by China and the US while left wide open by a complete absence of tariff protection.
“If governments don’t act now on energy, carbon and trade, we will keep losing factories, skills and jobs. And once these plants shut, they never come back.”
A Government spokesperson responded: “We know this is a tough time for our chemicals industry, who are paying the fossil fuel penalty, with wholesale gas costs remaining 75% above their levels before Russia invaded Ukraine.
“Our modern Industrial Strategy is slashing electricity costs by up to 25% for sectors including chemicals, and the UK’s independent Trade Remedies Authority has the power to investigate the impact of cheap imports if requested by industry.
“We recognise this will be difficult for affected workers and their families, and we continue to engage with Ineos and the wider sector to explore potential solutions that will ensure a viable chemicals industry in the UK.”
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