A patient at Winterbourne View is caught on secret camera being dragged across the floor by a care worker (Picture: BBC)
Four staff members at a care home in Bristol – run by the same company at the centre of last month’s BBC Panorama documentary – have been suspended amid fresh claims of abuse of vulnerable residents.
The unnamed workers, who have not been arrested, are employed at the nine-bed Rose Villa rehabilitation centre in Brislington.
It is run by Castlebeck, which also operated Winterbourne View residential hospital for vulnerable adults, where staff were filmed by the BBC’s Panorama allegedly subjecting residents to appalling abuse. The home was subsequently closed.
It is believed the latest suspensions that have occurred over the past month, including one on Tuesday, centre on poor safeguarding and patients being “mishandled”. It is understood they are “not on the scale” of Winterbourne View case.
A whistle-blower has provided officials with details while inspectors from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) have also uncovered safety concerns.
Castlebeck confirmed staff had been suspended and an inquiry was under way.
In a statement, the CQC said it had been reviewing all services provided by Castlebeck across England. The statement added: “Following an inspection [of Rose Villa] on July 1 our inspectors drew the manager’s attention to two separate issues.
“We understand that two members of staff were subsequently suspended. We are satisfied that those issues are being addressed and the findings of that inspection will be published in full within the next few weeks.”We are aware that two other members of staff have also been suspended for other separate reasons.
“In the meantime, we continue to monitor Rose Villa, and if there was any evidence that people were at risk, we would take immediate action.”
Castlebeck confirmed that four members of staff had been suspended following allegations of misconduct.
In a statement it said: “In accordance with our policy we have notified and are working with all relevant authorities as inquiries are being conducted. As this process is ongoing we are not able to comment further at this time.”
