NHS trust apologises after staff accused of restraining elderly man 19 times

Workers allegedly held dementia patient down by his arms, leg and face to forcibly provide treatment

Bullying, poorly trained staff and unsafe equipment reported by CQC inspectors

An NHS trust has offered an unreserved apology to an elderly patient and his family after they accused hospital staff of restraining him 19 times in order to forcibly administer treatment.

East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust admitted that care for the man, who has dementia, “fell far short” of what patients should expect.

The 77-year-old had been admitted to the William Harvey Hospital last November for urinary retention problems, according to a recent BBC investigation.

In February, The Independent revealed that a police investigation had been launched into an alleged assault against an elderly man at the hospital after nurses and carers were filmed by hospital security staff holding the man’s arms, legs and face down while they inserted a catheter.

A whistleblower told The Independent that the incident was being covered up by the trust and staff were told: “Don’t discuss it, don’t refer to it at all.”

At the time, a spokesperson for the East Kent trust said it had launched an investigation after a member of staff raised concerns about the care of the patient in December, and a number of workers were suspended.

On Wednesday, the trust said its investigation had found a failure to alert senior medics to the difficulties being experienced in caring for the patient.

Changes to dementia care including ward reorganisation, training and recruitment are underway, said a spokesperson, who added: “We apologise unreservedly to the patient and his family for the failings in his care, this fell far short of what patients should expect.”

One member of staff has been referred to the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

East Kent Hospitals is also a the centre of an investigation by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), following a series of deaths and claims of a cover-up in its maternity services surrounding the death of seven-day-old baby Harry Richford.

The CQC charged the trust with failing to provide safe care and treatment to baby Harry in November 2017.

The trust also faces enforcement action amid concerns over infection control, including people contracting Covid-19 while in hospital.