‘Mistreatment became normality’ at Muckamore Abbey hospital, inquiry finds

Vulnerable adults suffered broken bones and severe neglect in Northern Irish hospital at centre of police investigationAn inquiry into the abuse of vulnerable adults at Muckamore Abbey hospital in Northern Ireland has found “mistreatment became a normality” and patients suffered black eyes, broken bones and severe neglect.The hospital is at the centre of the UK’s largest police investigation into the alleged abuse of vulnerable adults, with 124 people having been referred by police for prosecution.The escalation of violence between patients and the increased use of seclusion of patients from 2011 onwards was a warning sign and precursor to the mistreatment of patients by staff.There were chronic shortages of staff that meant some essential care was not given and patients’ ability to cope with daily living diminished.A policy shift, beginning in 2001, to move all patients with learning disabilities and autism from hospital into community-based care was beset with failure and led to heightened distress and many readmissions.A lack of activities for patients often led to “frustration, boredom and dysregulated behaviour” and Muckamore became “more functional and less homely” as time went on.There was a “closed culture” among staff that discouraged reporting of bad behaviour and many families said they were frightened to complain in case it affected the care their relatives received. Continue reading...