Here we are. Late summer 2016. Another day and another failing CQC inspection of support for autistic people. This time the much feted National Autistic Society (NAS). A harrowing read. The NAS have simply shut the provision, Mendip House, down (‘home’ to 6 people who were unable to say if they were being harmed), belatedly issued a half arsed press release after a bit of twitter agitation and carried on trousering the readies from their other provision. Same craphole activities as, er, Mencrap. Another glossy charity losing its way big time…

A summary of the obscene inspection findings (in non CQC speak):

• The formal communication system (pics) used by two people had been stopped.
• Concerns about abuse were raised and no action taken.
• Staff regularly stole money from the people they were supporting.
• Lack of staff training.
• Mismanagement of medication and no record of medication reviews.
• Hot water temperatures were too high so risk of scalding.
• Using saucepans on the door to raise the alarm if someone slipped out failed.
• No attention was paid to changes in people’s behaviour to understand how they felt.
• Accidents and incident reporting was crap and records went missing.
• Some staff had no CRB clearance or employment references.
• Staff played on the playstation, ignored people and came and went without record.
• Dodgy or no induction processes/records or ongoing supervision.
• Poor or no health plans, health checks or recording of any GP appointment.
• Care plans were out of date.
• Rubbish epilepsy plans/assessment [howl].
• People ate crap nosh (little fruit and veg) and were dehydrated.
• The Mental Capacity Act wasn’t followed and people’s rights were trashed.
• The decor was worse than rubbish and worn out.
• The house was dirty and appliances needed replacing.
• No one was supported to be independent or have relationships with family/friends.
• Complaints by family members were ignored.
• There were few opportunities to go out spontaneously because of staffing issues.
• A gang of male staff arranged to work on the same shifts and ignored people.
• A “laddish” and “gang culture” developed through lack of effective senior leadership.
• The NAS identified “culture issues” in 2014.
• That “Senior Management Team were concerned with Mendip” was minuted in 2015.
• Issues identified by the NAS in January 2015 hadn’t been acted on 18 months later.

Given we don’t know what went on in Mendip House with this laddish gang culture ruling the roost for over two years, this is as bad, if not worse, than the abuse captured on film in about 5 minutes by the Panorama team back in 2011.

In Mendip House, run by the National Autistic Society, the senior team were aware of serious problems for two years. They did fuck all.