New safeguards to protect adults in care

Legal protection for adults in care is to be speeded up in the wake of the abuse scandal at a residential hospital in Bristol, the Government has indicated. Details of a system of "safeguarding" boards, similar to those in place for vulnerable children, are to be published within a fortnight.

The Health minister Paul Burstow had already accepted the need for the change – part of a reform package drawn up by the Law Commission.

But the broadcast of footage of people with learning difficulties being punched, slapped and taunted by carers has focused public attention on the issue, officials said. "We will legislate to make it a requirement for every council with social care responsibilities to have an adult safeguarding board," Mr Burstow told The Independent on Sunday.

The boards will bring together social services with the local NHS and police force, but will not just be another layer of bureaucracy, he insisted. The Care Quality Commission watchdog, issued an unreserved apology last week for failing to act on warnings by a whistleblower, Terry Bryan, about abuse at Winterbourne View residential hospital.

BBC's Panorama filmed patients being pinned down, slapped, doused in cold water and repeatedly taunted and teased after Mr Bryan alerted it to the problems when his concerns were ignored.

Four people have been released on police bail and 13 members of staff suspended by the home's owners, Castlebeck.