Autistic man facing abuse in mental health hospital must be given home ‘urgently’, NHS and council told

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The NHS and a local council have been told to urgently find a home for a 28-year-old autistic man who is facing psychological and physical abuse within a mental health hospital, after an independent review of his care.

Nicholas Thornton, whose story The Independent revealed last month, has autism and learning disabilities and is currently being held in the Rochford mental health unit, in Essex, after a decade of being locked away in places not able to care for him adequately.

Now an independent safeguarding review into his care provided at the Essex hospital has ordered the local authority and NHS to find him a home in the community because his relationship with hospital staff has become so bad he is facing psychological and physical harm.

He is one of the 2,045 people with learning disabilities and autism trapped within inpatient units across England.

Mr Thornton has been in the unit, run by the Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT), since May this year. He is not under a mental health section, nor does he need mental health treatment, but he is unable to leave because the local authority has not agreed on a place into which he can be discharged.

EPUT is currently facing a public inquiry probing the deaths of 2,000 patients following multiple reviews since 2016 from coroners, the police and health ombudsman criticising the care within the hospital.

A safeguarding report into Mr Thornton’s situation, seen by The Independent and Channel Four News, revealed staff working in the Rochford hospital told investigators they cannot adequately care for Mr Thornton themselves as they are not trained in supporting patients with autism.

Mr Thornton told The Independent: “I shouldn’t be here and they say that, so why am I being kept here longer than I should be when there’s been somewhere that I could go, who would take me, meet my needs etc?

“But Essex don’t care, they just want to delay, delay, delay and keep me in torture at this hospital and not even bother to sort an agency out to get my needs met as the staff here can’t meet my needs, are not trained in my needs or anything.

“Instead I’m being kept locked up for no reason when everyone says I shouldn’t be and shouldn’t be here. They are destroying and taking away my life.”

The independent safeguarding review completed last month, partially upheld allegations of mistreatment by staff levied by Mr Thornton’s lawyers.

The report said: “It appears that the relationship between Mr Thornton and ward staff has broken down and does not appear to be salvageable at this time. It is hard to ascertain whether the staff’s method of interaction with Mr Thornton is triggering in respect of his autism and related emotional/behavioural responses or whether at times Mr Thornton’s behaviour elicits a response from staff. After careful consideration I consider this aspect of the safeguarding [referral] to be partially upheld.”

The review also warned that staff at times are unable to carry out personal care and hygiene care for Mr Thornton as he will not allow some specific staff to carry this out.

“He can remain in a wet and soiled pad for over 24 hours putting him at high risk of pressure sore,” the report said.

Mr Thornton’s mother is concerned over the living conditions within his room, she told The Independent. Pictures and videos of the room in Rochford, seen by The Independent, reveal soiled sheets on the floor, a blocked sink and toilet and flies over the walls.

The experts reviewing Mr Thornton’s care acknowledge the council has placed him in homes which have not been suitable for his needs such as older people’s care homes or with family members who have not been able to provide appropriate care.

Mr Thornton remains in the Essex unit despite an organisation offering to take on his care in the community. Reviewers said the estimated costs are £6,000 a week but added that it is “unclear” whether the council is looking at this as an option.

According to a statement submitted by Mr Thornton’s legal representatives, he has been moved at least 15 times by Essex County Council over the last 10 years and has been held in a “horrific string of inappropriate and traumatising community and hospital placements”.

This alongside a lack of appropriate communication and planning ahead of his moves has led him to become wheelchair-bound and unable to speak.

The statement also claimed a social worker from Essex County Council even advised a care provider to take him to A&E after it said it was unable to meet his needs.

Ella Pitt, campaigns manager at the National Autistic Society, said: “What Nicholas faced, for more than decade in hospital, is shocking and tragic but unfortunately he is not alone. Autistic people are inappropriately held in hospital every single day. It is vital that authorities now follow the advice and recommendations included in Nicholas’ safeguarding review and find somewhere safe and supportive for him.

“Last month, the government not only let down Nicholas, but also the 2,045 autistic people and people with a learning disability, currently being held in mental health hospitals when a much-needed reform to the out-of-date Mental Health Act was dropped from the King’s Speech. How many more times do human rights scandals need to happen before this urgent issue is finally given the time it so desperately deserves?”

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust did not substantively respond to specific questions from The Independent and Channel Four over Mr Thornton’s care within the hospital unit and its plans to discharge him.

However, EPUT said in a statement: “The Trust takes all safeguarding considerations extremely seriously and works with partners to ensure any actions are taken as a matter of urgency.”

A spokesperson for Essex County Council said it is carefully considering the concerns raised and will work with EPUT and the family on actions to be taken in the future.