Footage shows mental health patients abused in Essex hospital

Hospital workers have been suspended after CCTV footage showed mental health patients being "dragged, slapped and kicked".

Ten personnel from Yew Trees hospital in Kirby-le-Soken, Essex, were fired after the Care Quality Commission (CQC) investigated reports of "physical and emotional abuse" on 18th of July.

Those suspended also included individuals who were believed to be witnesses to the abuse but failed to report the issue.

The mental health lead of the CQC, Dr Kevin Cleary, said that the staff who did not report the abuse just perpetuated the issue and "allowed a culture of poor care to become established".

He added: "This does not change or excuse the fact that a culture was allowed to develop at this hospital which led to people suffering abuse."

The CCTV videos have since been passed over to Essex police, who have not yet commented on the investigation.

According to the commission, 40% of the footage showed "examples of inappropriate staff behaviour".

A report into the incident stated that there were "negative interactions where staff visibly became angry with patients".