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Thirty new patients have contacted Sky News following our investigation into the treatment of teenagers in mental health units run by a single provider.

They include a 16-year-old boy whose mother told us her son’s self-harming increased.

Rachel Vickers said of her son Tyson: “He looked like he’d been in a car crash”, and Tyson Vickers added: “It just felt like they’d given up on me.”

In October, Sky News revealed serious allegations of failures in care from more than twenty former patients at units run by The Huntercombe Group, now part of Active Care Group.

Content warning: this article contains references to self-harm

Since then, we’ve been contacted by dozens more former patients independently of one another.

They’ve made further claims over concerns such as the overuse of restraint and inadequate supervision, allegedly leaving patients at increased risk of self-harm.

In response to our joint investigation with the Independent, the Department for Health has described the further allegations of mistreatment as “deeply concerning”.

Sixteen-year-old Tyson Vickers is one of a raft of new patients who’ve come forward in response to our initial investigation.

Sixteen-year-old Tyson Vickers is one of a raft of new patients who've come forward in response to our initial investigation.
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Sixteen-year-old Tyson Vickers is one of a raft of new patients who’ve come forward in response to our initial investigation

He spent two months in the Maidenhead unit from the beginning of March this year – he says during his time there he felt “like a lost cause in the mental health system”.

Tyson told us he went into the unit because “I couldn’t keep myself safe”. But he says he didn’t receive the specialist intervention he was expecting.

His mother Rachel said: “I could see that he was getting a lot worse. We were seeing much more self-harm – erratic behaviour that was leading to him needing to be restrained, which we hadn’t had to do at home. It was dawning on me that he wasn’t being looked after.

“He had cuts on his arms. He was bandaged up on both arms. He had a huge black eye. I mean, he looked like he’d been in a car crash.”

Read more:
Calls for ‘rapid’ review of inpatient mental health care following Sky News investigation

Tyson is autistic and transgender. It’s not easy talking about his time at the unit. He said he would ask staff to “refer to me as a male and by the name Tyson with “him” pronouns.

“But sometimes they’d just mess up, and you could tell they didn’t actually respect it”.

Tyson says he gets “flashbacks” from his experiences. He says “just thinking about everything I went through there” makes him tearful when discussing it.

Tyson says: “I was struggling a lot. It just felt like they’d given up on me. I’m not going to get better. I just felt like I couldn’t be helped in any way. I was just sort of like a lost cause in the mental health system.”

Blood on the walls
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Blood on the walls of one of the bedrooms at a facility run by The Huntercombe Group

“I was told by one staff member I would never get out, that I was just going to be stuck there forever and I couldn’t get help.”

Our original investigation revealed allegations stretching back more than a decade.

There were recurring themes such as the overuse of restraint and lack of staffing and observation to keep patients safe.

The 30 new patients who’ve come forward were inpatients at the units from 2003 – the majority were admitted from 2018.

They all got in touch with us independently of one another.

A patient who wants to remain anonymous, and who was in the Maidenhead unit between 2018 and 2019, told us she is now unable to live independently, which she believes is due to the trauma from her experiences.

This is how she describes her life now after her time at the unit: “I have pretty much daily seizures, walking difficulties, tics and more.

“My mum is my full-time carer as I cannot be on my own due to this. I cannot live independently.”

Another patient, who also wants to remain anonymous, and was admitted to the Maidenhead unit in 2020, shared photographs of injuries to her legs and knuckles which she says were sustained during restraints.

Another patient, who wants to remain anonymous, and was admitted to the Maidenhead unit in 2020, shared photographs of injuries to her legs and knuckles which she says were sustained during restraints
Image:
Another patient, who wants to remain anonymous, and was admitted to the Maidenhead unit in 2020
Another patient, who wants to remain anonymous, and was admitted to the Maidenhead unit in 2020, shared photographs of injuries to her legs and knuckles which she says were sustained during restraints. Used in Lisa Holland's exclusive on The Huntercombe Group for Sky News
Image:
Another patient, who wants to remain anonymous, and was admitted to the Maidenhead unit in 2020, shared photographs of injuries to her legs and knuckles which she says were sustained during restraints

She said: “Sometimes when they were trying to get me in holds, they would swing me round really hard and I would fall into the wall so I would get bruised knuckles.

“Every single day I was getting bruises all over my body.”

Another patient shared pictures she says are of blood on the walls of her room. She told us she was left alone “for hours” to self-harm.

In 2019 Mae, who is 21 now, was an inpatient at Huntercombe’s Stafford unit.

She said: “I wouldn’t be asked to walk to the clinic for a feed, I would just be picked up and dragged there”.

In 2019 Mae, who is 21 now,  was an inpatient at Huntercombe’s Stafford unit.
Image:
In 2019 Mae, who is 21 now, was an inpatient at Huntercombe’s Stafford unit

Mae describes feeling like an “animal” in the unit and claims she was “dragged around, locked out of my room, bruised, constantly shouted at and verbally abused.

She said: “I had no autonomy or say in my own care or my own body.”

Ami was in the Maidenhead unit between April 2020 and December 2021.

Now aged 18 she says she wasn’t allowed out of her room for six weeks after an episode of self-harm.

She said when her underwear was taken off so she could be put into anti-ligature clothing, there was a male member of staff in the room.

She said: “I was embarrassed and felt assaulted. It really went past all my boundaries.”

Ami’s mother Rebecca Hinton told us: “We felt helpless, alone, like our voices just fell into a dark well, scared, desperate.”

Separate to our investigation, we’ve learned the first steps have been taken by solicitor Mark McGhee towards legal action against The Huntercombe Group. He’s currently representing nine former patients.

His cases include the family of a young former patient who claims they were raped by a member of staff at the Maidenhead unit.

Thames Valley Police has confirmed they are investigating the allegation.

Ami was in the Maidenhead unit between April 2020 and December 2021. Now aged 18 she says she wasn’t allowed out of her room for six weeks after she ingested a pen lid.
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Ami was in the Maidenhead unit between April 2020 and December 2021. Now aged 18 she says she wasn’t allowed out of her room for six weeks after an episode of self-harm

Mr McGhee said: “This is systemic failure and it’s gross systemic neglect. This hospital was responsible for some of the most vulnerable individuals within our society

“All of these individuals have been profoundly affected in terms of the abuse that they’ve sustained. And it is going to affect the rest of their lives.”

Active Care Group took over Huntercombe in December 2021.

A spokesperson for Active Care Group said: “We are very sad and concerned to hear about these patient experiences and allegations of poor care, a handful of which relate to time in our care…our policies and clinical interventions are in line with national guidelines and best practice; the care of our patients is our top priority.”

“All complaints are investigated and those meeting thresholds for CQC (Care Quality Commission) and safeguarding are reported as required. We are also pleased to receive positive feedback from many young people and their families.”

Read more
‘Blood on the walls’: Investigation reveals the shocking truth behind a children’s mental health unit
‘Treated worse than animals’: Huntercombe investigation reveals decade of mistreatment

The previous owners Elli Investments Group said: “We are saddened by these allegations and 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.”

NHS England said it’s deeply concerned by these “shocking allegations”.

A spokesperson said: “Consequently these two units, which are run by Active Care Group, have been visited several times by senior commissioners in recent weeks – these visits have included speaking to all current patients, and we will continue to monitor and take appropriate action where necessary.

“The NHS has repeatedly made it clear in recent meetings to the executives of Active Care Group that all services must provide safe, high-quality care and deliver on the commitments in their contracts.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “The further allegations of mistreatment that have been raised are deeply concerning. Our first priority is to ensure anyone receiving treatment in a mental health facility receives safe, high-quality care, and is looked after with dignity and respect.

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“We take these reports very seriously and are working with NHS England and CQC to ensure all mental health inpatient settings are providing the standard of care we expect.”

Chris Dzikiti, Director of Mental Health at the Care Quality Commission (CQC) said: “It is unacceptable for any young person who needs mental health support to receive anything less than the highest standards of care.

“We are grateful to each and every person who has taken the time to share their, or their loved ones, experience of the care they have received.

“We have a range of powers we can use if we find people are not receiving safe care and will take every action possible to protect people where necessary.”

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Man shot dead by armed police at Milton Keynes railway station

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Man shot dead by armed police at Milton Keynes railway station

A man has been shot dead by police at Milton Keynes railway station.

Officers from Thames Valley Police and British Transport Police were called to reports of a man carrying a firearm at the station at 12.55pm on Tuesday.

Thames Valley Police (TVP) said its armed officers responded and challenged the man before firing shots.

Despite attempts to save the man, he was pronounced dead at 1.44pm.

Police say they do not believe there is any further risk to the public.

The shots were fired in the station square outside the building and police have put a cordon in place around the area.

A few entrances to the building have been closed off, but London Northwestern Railway said there has been no impact on services.

It warned passengers there is reduced access to the front of the station as emergency services remain at the scene.

Pic: PA
Image:
Forensic experts outside the station. Pic: PA

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has said TVP had referred the incident to the watchdog.

A spokesperson said it had begun an independent probe into the shooting, adding it was “notified by TVP shortly after the incident” and that IOPC investigators have been sent to the station.

The spokesperson added: “Our thoughts are with the family of the man who died and all those who have been affected by this incident.

“Our role in these circumstances is to independently investigate all of the circumstances surrounding this incident including the actions and decisions taken by the police.

“We declared an independent investigation at 2.26pm. It is in its very early stages and no further information is available at this time.”

As of 5pm on Tuesday, a large plastic barrier was erected outside the exit to the station, with an officer standing guard.

Emily Darlington, Milton Keynes Central MP, said: “I was shocked to hear of the events outside Milton Keynes Central Station today. My thoughts are with everybody affected, and I am grateful for the swift action taken by the emergency services to keep the public safe.”

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Sir Keir Starmer says US-UK trade talks ‘well advanced’ and rejects ‘knee-jerk’ response to Donald Trump tariffs

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Sir Keir Starmer says US-UK trade talks 'well advanced' and rejects 'knee-jerk' response to Donald Trump tariffs

Sir Keir Starmer has said US-UK trade talks are “well advanced” ahead of tariffs expected to be imposed by Donald Trump on the UK this week – but rejected a “knee-jerk” response.

Speaking to Sky News political editor Beth Rigby, the prime minister said the UK is “working hard on an economic deal” with the US and said “rapid progress” has been made on it ahead of tariffs expected to be imposed on Wednesday.

But, he admitted: “Look, the likelihood is there will be tariffs. Nobody welcomes that, nobody wants a trade war.

“But I have to act in the national interest and that means all options have to remain on the table.”

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Sir Keir added: “We are discussing economic deals. We’re well advanced.

“These would normally take months or years, and in a matter of weeks, we’ve got well advanced in those discussions, so I think that a calm approach, a collected approach, not a knee-jerk approach, is what’s needed in the best interests of our country.”

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Keir Starmer

Downing Street said on Monday the UK is expecting to be hit by new US tariffs on Wednesday – branded “liberation day” by the US president – as a deal to exempt British goods would not be reached in time.

A 25% levy on car and car parts had already been announced but the new tariffs are expected to cover all exports to the US.

Jonathan Reynolds, the business and trade secretary, earlier told Sky News he is “hopeful” the tariffs can be reversed soon.

But he warned: “The longer we don’t have a potential resolution, the more we will have to consider our own position in relation to [tariffs], precluding retaliatory tariffs.”

He added the government was taking a “calm-headed” approach in the hope a deal can be agreed but said it is only “reasonable” retaliatory tariffs are an option, echoing Sir Keir’s sentiments over the weekend.

Read more:
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Donald Trump speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One. Pic: Reuters
Image:
Donald Trump speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday. Pic: Reuters

Tariff announcement on Wednesday

Mr Trump has been threatening tariffs – import taxes – on countries with the biggest trade imbalances with the US.

However, over the weekend, he suggested the tariffs would hit all countries, but did not name them or reveal which industries would be targeted.

Read more: How Trump’s tariffs could affect the UK

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‘Everything on table over US tariffs’

Mr Trump will unveil his tariff plan on Wednesday afternoon at the first Rose Garden news conference of his second term, the White House press secretary said.

“Wednesday, it will be Liberation Day in America, as President Trump has so proudly dubbed it,” Karoline Leavitt said.

“The president will be announcing a tariff plan that will roll back the unfair trade practices that have been ripping off our country for decades. He’s doing this in the best interest of the American worker.”

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Trump’s tariffs: What can we expect?

Tariffs would cut UK economy by 1%

UK government forecaster the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) said a 20 percentage point increase in tariffs on UK goods and services would cut the size of the British economy by 1% and force tax rises this autumn.

Global markets remained flat or down on Monday in anticipation of the tariffs, with the FTSE 100 stock exchange trading about 1.3% lower on Monday, closing with a 0.9% loss.

On Wall Street, the S&P 500 rose 0.6% after a volatile day which saw it down as much as 1.7% in the morning.

However, the FTSE 100 is expected to open about 0.4% higher on Tuesday, while Asian markets also steadied, with Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 broadly unchanged after a 4% slump yesterday.

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What are Donald Trump’s tariffs, what is ‘liberation day’ and how does it all affect the UK?

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What are Donald Trump's tariffs, what is 'liberation day' and how does it all affect the UK?

If there is a word that has dominated Donald Trump’s second term, it’s tariffs. 

Aluminium, steel, cars and champagne have all been in his firing line, while China, Canada and Mexico are the countries targeted with the heaviest costs.

Along the way, there have been threats, pauses and postponements.

So what are tariffs, what is in the pipeline – and what could all this mean for the UK?

What are tariffs and why is Trump threatening to use them?

Tariffs are taxes on goods imported into the US.

It is the importers buying the goods who pay the tariffs – therefore, American companies.

Ultimately, the intent is to protect US manufacturing and bolster jobs by making foreign-made products less attractive.

However, there is a knock-on effect: to compensate for tariffs, companies put up their prices, so customers end up paying more for goods.

Tariffs can also damage foreign countries as they make their products pricier and harder to sell.

In his second term, Mr Trump has frequently used them – or the threat of them – as a trade weapon.

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Trump’s tariffs: What can we expect?

They are a key part of Mr Trump’s efforts to reshape global trade relations, and he plans to impose a swathe of what he calls “reciprocal” taxes that would match tariffs levied by other nations.

Tariffs were also part of his playbook in his first term, when he imposed taxes on most goods coming from China and used them as a bargaining chip to force Canada and Mexico to renegotiate a North American trade pact.

On his first day back in office, the US president promised 25% tariffs on all products coming into the US from its nearest neighbours Mexico and Canada – ostensibly to force the countries to tackle illegal migration and fentanyl crossing the border.

What is liberation day?

Mr Trump has branded 2 April “liberation day”, when he could unveil the reciprocal tariffs on countries deemed to be giving the US a bad deal on trade.

The extent of potential tariffs and countries affected remains unclear, with Mr Trump at times sending mixed messages.

On 30 March, he said “all countries” could expect to be hit by tariffs.

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What is Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’?

Speaking from Air Force One, the US president rubbished a question from a reporter who asked whether it was true he was planning on targeting between 10 and 15 countries.

“Who told you 10-15 countries? You didn’t hear it from me,” he said.

When pressed on how many he was planning to hit, he said: “You’d start with all countries, let’s see what happens.”

Two days prior, he said he was open to carving out deals with countries seeking to avoid US tariffs, but that those agreements would be negotiated after 2 April.

He had previously said he “may give a lot of countries breaks, but it’s reciprocal”, adding: “We might be even nicer than that.”

How could the UK be affected?

The UK hopes an economic deal with the US will spare the country from some of the tariffs.

Sir Keir Starmer and Mr Trump have had “productive negotiations” towards a UK-US “economic prosperity deal”, Downing Street has said.

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‘Everything on table over US tariffs’

The two leaders discussed a possible deal in a phone call on Sunday and agreed negotiations will “continue at pace”, according to a statement released on Sunday 30 March.

The day before the so-called “liberation day”, Sir Keir told Sky News political editor Beth Rigby the UK was “working hard on an economic deal” with the US and said “rapid progress” has been made.

But, he admitted: “Look, the likelihood is there will be tariffs. Nobody welcomes that, nobody wants a trade war.

“But I have to act in the national interest and that means all options have to remain on the table.”

Sir Keir added: “We are discussing economic deals. We’re well advanced.

“These would normally take months or years, and in a matter of weeks, we’ve got well advanced in those discussions, so I think that a calm approach, a collected approach, not a knee-jerk approach, is what’s needed in the best interests of our country.”

Mr Trump has not explicitly said the UK is in his sights for further tariffs.

Data shows no great trade imbalances – the gap between what you import and export from a certain country – and UK figures show no trade deficit with the United States.

UK ministers have previously suggested this could be good news for avoiding new levies.

But the tariffs Mr Trump has already announced would have a big impact on the UK – particularly the car tariff.

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Business secretary hopes Trump tariffs will be ‘reversed in weeks or months’

Jonathan Reynolds, the business and trade secretary, earlier told Sky News he is “hopeful” the tariffs can be reversed soon.

But he warned: “The longer we don’t have a potential resolution, the more we will have to consider our own position in relation to [tariffs], precluding retaliatory tariffs.”

He added the government was taking a “calm-headed” approach in the hope a deal can be agreed, but said it is only “reasonable” that retaliatory tariffs are an option, echoing Sir Keir’s sentiments over the weekend.

What tariffs have already been announced?

Some tariffs have already come into effect, while Mr Trump has confirmed some that will come in on 2 April.

He has said a 25% tariff on all cars imported to the US will come into effect, with a similar tariff on car parts expected to follow in May.

This could prove even more complicated for American car makers, who source components from around the world even if the vehicle is made in the US.

Trump tariffs teaser for SEO liberation day explainer

But Mr Trump has insisted the move will “continue to spur growth”, pointing to plans from Hyundai – the South Korean car maker – to build a $5.8bn (£4.5bn) steel plant in Louisiana.

The tariff could have a huge impact on the UK’s car industry, including on manufacturers such as Jaguar Land Rover, Aston Martin and Rolls-Royce.

Official data shows the US is the UK car sector’s largest single market by country, accounting for £6.4bn worth of car exports in 2023 – 18.4% of the total.

Trump has also said he will place a 25% tariff on all imports from any country that buys oil or gas from Venezuela, which includes the US itself – in addition to imposing new tariffs on the South American country.

On 12 March, a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminium imports to the US came into effect, affecting UK products worth hundreds of millions of pounds.

The move came after he placed a 10% tax on all imports from China, which he later doubled to 20%.

He placed 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada, but paused them for a month two days after they came into effect, meaning they are set to resume on 2 April.

The pause did not fully cover a tariff of 10% on Canadian energy products.

What has been the global response to tariffs?

There has widely been condemnation of the tariffs, especially from countries worst affected like Mexico and Canada.

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Canadian PM: ‘Tariffs are an attack’

Some have imposed, or threatened to impose, retaliatory tariffs.

China has already hit back with retaliatory tariffs covering a range of US goods, including a 15% tariff on coal and liquefied natural gas products, a 10% tariff on US crude oil and tariffs of up to 15% on key US farm exports.

Canada imposed tariffs of its own on US products, including a 25% reciprocal tariff on US steel and aluminium products and tariffs worth an estimated C$29.8bn (£16bn) on a wide range of US products including orange juice, peanut butter, alcohol, coffee and clothing.

Read more on tariffs:
It may be harder for the UK to trump metals tariffs
Stock markets tumble as Trump tariffs loom

The European Union has said it will impose retaliatory tariffs on the US, but when they will come into force is unknown.

The European Commission initially threatened to impose “countermeasures” affecting €26bn (£21.9bn) of US goods from 1 April, but later delayed this until the middle of April.

The bloc said the delay was because it wanted “additional time for discussions” with the US after Mr Trump threatened a 200% tariff on EU alcohol – including wine and champagne – if the bloc imposed duties on US whiskey.

Any tariffs imposed by the bloc would not only impact US steel and aluminium products, but also textiles, home appliances, agricultural goods and whiskey.

Why tariffs could cost you – even if Trump spares UK

Even if no tariffs are put on all UK exports to the US, consumers globally will still be impacted by the wider trade war, particularly in the US.

Economists believe that tariffs will raise costs in the US, sparking a wave of inflation that will keep interest rates higher for longer. The US central bank, the Federal Reserve, is mandated to act to bring inflation down.

More expensive borrowing and costlier goods and services could bring about an economic downturn in the US and have knock-on effects in the UK.

Forecasts from the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) predict lower UK economic growth due to higher global interest rates.

It estimated that UK GDP (a measure of everything produced in the economy) could be between 2.5% and 3% lower over five years and 0.7% lower this year.

The Centre for Inclusive Trade Policy thinktank said a 20% across-the-board tariff, impacting the UK, could lead to a £22bn reduction in the UK’s US exports, with the hardest-hit sectors including fishing and mining.

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