The owner of a group of privately-run children’s mental health hospitals is facing legal action by dozens of former patients, who claim they suffered inhuman and degrading treatement at the facilities. Hospitals formerly run by The Huntercombe Group face at least 54 individual clinical negligence claims , The Independent can reveal. Patients treated within several of the hospitals, now owned by Active Care Group, came forward to solicitors Hutchoen Law following several exposés by this publication, revealing allegations of “systemic abuse.
” Taplow Manor Hospital, which faces the most claims, was closed last year after the joint investigations by The Independent and Sky News. Documents submitted to Manchester Civil Court on Thursday before Judge Nigel Bird, who will decide if permission is be granted for claims to be brought, revealed allegations including: Representatives for the claimants Naizi Fetto KC said the consequences of alleged breaches have been “devastating and permeant” for some, and revealed some patients’ claims of assault, sexual assault and rape. He said one claimaint had died before the action could be brought.
Claims are also being proposed against doctors at The Huntercombe Group hospitals. The skeleton arguments brought by claimants said the former owners of the hospitals, The Huntercombe Group, allegedly have £800 million in unpaid debts and so would not be able to pay the £250,000 excess on their insurance policies should the claims be su.
