Page 3 - TSAB Board Minutes - 23 September 2019

This document was classified as: OFFICIAL

Rachelle Kipling (RK) advised that the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner has secured
some additional funding until March 2020 and Eva are therefore able to continue to deliver services
in Redcar & Cleveland. RK to keep the Board updated with future arrangements.
 MCA Amendment Bill – Update
This item was not discussed.
 Revised Meeting Schedule 2019-20 and Schedule for 2020-21
Shared for information.
 Revised Strategic Business Plan - Liberty Protection Safeguards
This item was not discussed.
Action Points Action Owner Deadline
1. Previous Board minutes to be added to the TSAB website GMc 07/10/19
2. RK to keep the Board informed about commissioning of EVA RK 27/02/20
when it is nearing the end of its contract

Agenda Item 3 Whorlton Hall Presentation Presenter: Nicola Bailey
The Board has previously had discussions around non-commissioned services and recognises the
potential risks in terms of the lack of regulation, governance and accountability.

Nicola Bailey (NB) Chief Officer for Durham and Tees Valley CCGs gave a presentation about Whorlton
Hall and highlighted the following:
 Whorlton Hall was an independent hospital in Durham which provided assessment and treatment
for people living with a learning disability, autism or complex needs. The hospital also cared for
people who have additional mental or physical health needs and patients detained under the
Mental Health Act.
 Whorlton Hall had 17 beds with 13 patients. There were 85 employees plus agency staff.
 All patients at Whorlton Hall are known to the Transforming Care Programme
 Whorlton Hall was owned by Danshell at the time that an undercover reporter was carrying out
their investigation. (Danshell bought Castlebeck Care who previously owned Winterbourne View).
The reporter visited in December 2018 for a period of 12 weeks. Cygnet bought Danshell and
formally took over services in January 2019.
 Whorlton Hall was not a service used predominantly by Durham CCGs, however 10 different
CCGs placed people at Whorlton Hall
 When Panorama raised the alarm about serious allegations of abuse and their undercover
operation, 20 staff at Whorlton Hall were suspended immediately (1 member of staff had already
been dismissed at this time). The staff team were replaced immediately with enhanced
management oversight. This was supported by Tees Esk & Wear Valleys (TEWV) NHS
Foundation Trust and Senior Clinical staff attended Whorlton Hall every day until it closed.
 A decision was made to review all patients and move them to another appropriate provider or
setting so that Whorlton Hall would be closed when the documentary was aired in May 2019.
 There was ongoing communication between the CCGs, Police, NHS and the Local Authority
 An Extraordinary Safeguarding Adults Board (Durham) meeting was held in June 2019
 There is an ongoing police investigation. Efforts will be made to coordinate an Independent
Safeguarding Adults Review alongside this
 Whorlton Hall was inspected by CQC 3 months prior to the undercover investigation and was rated
as ‘good’
 Unusually, Whorlton Hall reported into safeguarding regularly and there were a number of joint
quality assurance visits

Cllr Ann McCoy (AMc) mentioned that the Department for Work and Pensions should not put pressure on
the unemployed to take up work in Care Homes when this may not be an appropriate role for them. NB
advised that this did not appear to be the case at Whorlton Hall.

Zoe Sherry (ZS) asked if Healthwatch could visit these non-commissioned services to carry out Enter and
View visits. NB advised that all Healthwatch need to do is ask to visit - it is unlikely that they would decline.

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