Nursing Home Staff Charged With ‘Ill Treatment And Neglect’

Four people have been charged with ill treatment or neglect of residents at a Gloucester residential home which has been under investigation for more than two years. They are all due to face Gloucester Magistrates later this month, together with a representative of the company which runs the home.

The announcement by Gloucestershire police comes after a probe was launched in July 2005 into an allegation that a resident of Newsham House, Stroud Road, Gloucester, had been ill treated. Police said that charges have been brought under the 1983 Mental Health Act of ill treatment or neglect of residents between 7th July 2003 and 27th July 2005.

A 65-year-old Gloucester man, a 56-year-old Gloucester woman, a 49-year-old woman from Wakefield, Yorkshire, and a 60-year-old man from Chippenham, Wiltshire, have all been charged – together with the company ADL plc which owns and runs the home.

There are ten charges against the two Gloucester people, the Wakefield woman and the ADL company but eleven charges against the Chippenham man.

Gloucestershire police spokeswoman Annabel Brittain “These charges follow a joint investigation by police and the Commission for Social Care Inspectorate. The investigation was launched after we received a report of ill treatment of a resident. A warrant was executed at the home in July 2005. The 65 year old Gloucester man and the 56 year old Gloucester woman who have been charged were both employees of the home during the relevant period.

“They each face ten charges, as do ADL plc who were the service providers for the home during the period. A 49-year-old Wakefield woman and a 60-year-old Chippenham man who were employees of ADL plc have been charged with ten counts and eleven counts respectively. All are due to appear before Gloucester Magistrates on Sept 25.”

This development follows a high profile raid by almost 30 police and social care inspectors in July 2005 on the 40 bed residential home. Passers-by in July 2005 witnessed police officers in the gardens of the home stacking up numerous boxes of files for removal.

Earlier this year when it was announced that a file of evidence had been handed by police to the Crown Prosecution Service Jeremy Davies, managing director of Leeds based, ADL plc, said “We have been running the home since the day of the raid and can confirm that today there are 40 residents in the home, ie, it is full and obviously satisfies the needs of the area for caring for elderly, mentally ill patients.”