Watchdog slammed for inaction at scandal-hit hospital before teen died

The UK’s care watchdog has been accused of failing to take action against a scandal-hit hospital before a catalogue of failings led to the unlawful death of a child.

Ruth Szymankiewicz, 14, died on 14 February 2022, two days after she fatally self-harmed when she was left alone at Huntercombe Hospital, in Maidenhead, by an inexperienced care worker who only had a day and a half’s training, and was hired under a fake ID.

In the five years before Ruth’s death, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) published four reports warning about poor care at the hospital, dating back to inspections from 2017, raising concerns over repeated failures to properly monitor patients, reports of staff leaving “blood on the walls” and issues with missing patient records.

It rated the hospital, which was renamed Taplow Manor, “inadequate” in February 2021 but changed this in July 2021, saying improvements had been made.

Now, The Independent can reveal that just 11 days before Ruth died, the watchdog raised fresh concerns over understaffing at the hospital and found staff were not being told what was required of them.

In a joint interview with The Independent and Sky News, Ruth’s parents, Kate and Mark Szymankiewicz, slammed the CQC over its failure to act, despite its own warnings before their daughter’s death.

Mr Szymankiewicz said: “Before Ruth went to Huntercombe, we had been made aware of the CQC reports, which were damning, and to the point we said, ‘No, you cannot send our child to this institution,’ and we were told changes had happened, we were given a lot of assurances to alleviate our concerns.”

Ms Szymankiewicz said: “Regulation is complicated, but why did our daughter have to die before anyone paid attention to make some changes? They knew all of this before she died.”

Charlotte Bird, from Bhatt Murphy Solicitors, who represented Ruth’s family, said the CQC had identified multiple patient safety concerns in the months before her death, but still authorised Ruth’s admission there. She warned: “The period leading up to Ruth’s death and the CQC’s actions subsequently highlight a regulatory framework which is failing to protect patients and deliver accountability.”

It comes as former staff told The Independent and Sky News that the ward where Ruth was being held was understaffed daily before she died, and claimed it was common for patients not to be monitored properly.

One former Huntercombe Group executive, Philip King, speaking out for the first time, said the CQC and NHS England should have closed the hospital years ago.

Ruth’s death came after a 2022 investigation by The Independent and Sky News that revealed dozens of allegations of systemic abuse at the hands of the hospital group spanning more than a decade. Following the reports, its owners, Active Care Group, closed Taplow Manor Hospital in June 2023.

Despite its earlier warnings, Ruth’s parents were told by the CQC that it could not prosecute Huntercombe over her death because a “loophole” in the law prevents it from bringing prosecutions for failures that it has already issued a formal warning notice over.

Ruth’s parents said that despite a jury inquest ruling that Ruth was “unlawfully killed”, there was no justice for their daughter.

Mr Szymankiewicz said: “People often talk about justice for this or that, and we struggle with that because we feel there can be no justice for Ruth; she’s dead, she’s gone. And we’re living with that fallout, which is incredibly challenging… the inquest conclusion really highlights the numerous and systemic failings. Ultimately, Ruth was let down multiple times and in multiple ways… Ruth would be outraged by her story.”

His wife said: “We haven’t really got any faith in the CQC governance that it is going to be making sure those changes have been made. It seems likely the [regulation] process has a lot wanting.”

The couple said that one of Huntercombe’s biggest failings was that Ruth was denied visits by her family, something which caused her huge distress.

They are now urging health secretary Wes Streeting to change the Mental Health Act to protect children’s access to their families while detained in mental health hospitals.

Children’s commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza said no parents should have to endure the “horror of knowing their child was failed by the people they trusted to protect her” and warned Ruth’s death was not a “one-off” after hearing stories from other children in hospital.

She said the Mental Health Act needs an “urgent” change to enshrine the rights of patients and allow families to visit whenever they like, adding: “This was cruelly and wrongly denied to Ruth’s parents, so we must act now to stop it ever happening again.”

The calls come as The Independent can reveal that 58 former patients are set to mount clinical negligence claims against around 30 psychiatrists who worked at Huntercombe hospitals over two decades, including at least eight who work for Active Care Group, which owned the hospitals at the time of Ruth’s death.

Mark McGhee, the lawyer representing them, said many had been diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress disorder because of their experiences at the hospitals.

A campaign group, called First Do No Harm, made up of former patients and families, has urged ministers to “move away from inpatient care that isolates children from the community and their families”.

Dr Arun Chopra, chief inspector of mental health at the Care Quality Commission, said it undertook a number of inspections of Taplow Manor and increased its monitoring after Ruth’s death.

“In March 2022, we issued warning notices to the service provider, which required urgent action. While we saw some improvements in response to these warning notices, we were not satisfied that young people were being kept safe and so we placed the service in special measures, which involved further increasing our monitoring.

“After we rated them as inadequate following an inspection in December 2022, Active Care Group made the decision to stop providing CAMHS care at Taplow Manor and later fully closed the site.

“Although the site is no longer operational, we continue to monitor the safety and quality of services at the provider’s other locations and across mental health services for children and young people. Everyone deserves to receive high-quality care and where we find that this is not the case we take action, including using our enforcement powers.”

Addressing concerns about its inability to prosecute the hospital due to a legal loophole, the CQC said even if it was able to take into account the concerns it flagged in the days before Ruth’s death, there still may not have been enough evidence to prosecute.

Active Care Group said when it acquired the hospital in December 2021, there were “years of well-documented mismanagement”, and it had made significant investments in staff training, recruitment and hospital estate since it took over.

It added that it places quality of care at the heart of its operations and claims it has achieved 100 per cent “good” or “outstanding” ratings from the CQC over the past 12 months.

If you are experiencing feelings of distress or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans in confidence on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch. If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.

For anyone struggling with the issues raised in this article, eating disorder charity Beat’s helpline is available 365 days a year on 0808 801 0677. NCFED offers information, resources and counselling for those suffering from eating disorders, as well as their support networks. Visit eating-disorders.org.uk or call 0845 838 2040

Bruce Willis’s wife hits back at criticism over latest decision

Bruce Willis’s wife Emma Heming Willis has hit back at trolls who criticised her decision to move the actor out of their family home as his condition progresses.

Emma, 47, announced this week that the 70-year-old Die Hard actor, who has frontotemporal dementia (FTD), would have wanted their daughters’ lives to be unaffected by adjustments in their living space.

“Too often, caregivers are judged quickly and unfairly by those who haven’t lived this journey or stood on the front lines of it,” she said on Instagram after receiving flak online.

Model and entrepreneur Emma, who described the choice as the “hardest decision”, added that she expected judgement and criticism, but shared the update as “it creates connection and validation for those actually navigating the realities of caregiving every day”.

“That’s who I share for and so I can build a deeper connection with a community that understands this journey,” she said.

Emma added that those who criticise often “don’t have the experience to back it up”, which she said strips their viewpoint of effect.

“The truth is, the opinions are so loud and they’re so noisy, but if they don’t have any experience of this, they don’t get a say.”

Willis is now living with a full-time care team in a one-storey home as his condition develops and his needs become more complex and intensive.

According to the NHS, frontotemporal dementia, which Willis was diagnosed with in February 2023, affects behaviour and language, and gets worse over time.

“He would want them to be in a home that was more tailored to their needs, not his needs,” she told Diane Sawyer in the ABC special Emma & Bruce Willis: The Unexpected Journey.

Emma married the Pulp Fiction actor in 2009, and the couple has two daughters, 13-year-old Mabel and 11-year-old Evelyn.

Emma said she has tried to ensure continuity for the family by taking their daughters to have breakfast and dinner with their dad.

“When we go over, either we’re outside, or were watching a movie,” she explained. “It’s just really about being able to be there, and connect with Bruce.”

“It is a house that is filled with love, and warmth, and care, and laughter. And it’s been beautiful to see that, to see how many of Bruce’s friends continue to show up for him, and they bring in life, and fun.”

Providing an update on the star’s health, she added: “Bruce is still very mobile. Bruce is in really great health overall. It’s just his brain that is failing him.”

She explained that his language abilities are “going”, but the family have “learned to adapt”.

She has written a new book about her experience titled The Unexpected Journey: Finding Strength, Hope, and Yourself on the Caregiving Path.

“We have a way of communicating with him, which is just a… different way.”

Willis has maintained a strong relationship with his ex-wife, Demi Moore, with whom he shares three children: Rumer, Scout, and Tallulah. The family have described the condition as a “cruel disease” with no cure.

Earlier this year, Rumer, 37, opened up about the challenges of not being able to converse with her father as she once used to.

In a Father’s Day post, she wrote: “Today is hard, I feel a deep ache in my chest to talk to you and tell you everything I’m doing and what’s going on in my life. To hug you and ask you about life and your stories and struggles and successes.

“I wish I asked you more questions while you could still tell me about it all.”

Meet the van dwellers living in a park – and locals who want them out

It’s a warm, humid weekday afternoon in north-west Bristol.

As steam rises from the brown grass on the historic Durdham Down after a brief downpour, the iconic 12-sided concrete water tower comes into view, followed by Georgian shops at the summit of Whiteladies Road.

Around the huge parkland are the wealthy suburbs of Stoke Bishop, Redland and Sneyd Park, where many families have worked hard to afford homes that today command seven-figure price tags.

Joggers plod the well-trodden perimeter paths that lead them to the western edge of the park, where the cliff edge gives views over the River Avon and Isambard Brunel’s famous Clifton Suspension Bridge.

Steeped in history, the area, known locally as “The Downs”, was long used as common land for grazing, before, in 1861, it became part of the Victorian craze for park creation, with an Act established for it to be a place of “public resort and recreation”.

But today, more than 160 years on, it’s not football or kite-flying that’s making this park famous – it’s dozens of caravans and vans.

The rising number of vehicles and caravans on the roads that dissect the parkland has led some to dub the area “caravan city”, with tensions mounting between homeowners and van dwellers. The council, it appears, is stuck between the two.

The issue on The Downs represents a growing problem in a city with a housing crisis, with latest council estimates of between 640 to 680 lived-in vehicles and caravans.

Now, city leaders, faced with concerns over antisocial behaviour and crime, are taking action. Bosses are currently busy drawing up a policy to balance support for vehicle dwellers with the demands from the local community.

But speaking to those living in vehicles, there appears to be no easy answer.

“I believe I have a right to be here,” says Frankie Turton, who lives in a converted Ford Transit van decorated with flowery stickers.

The 29-year-old women’s charity worker sold her house in Warrington to travel the UK with her partner, and when they turned up in Bristol two years ago, they decided to stay.

“We made like-minded friends and were surprised how easy it was to park up and stay here,” she says. “It felt like a big adjustment at first – people tell you van life is amazing but they don’t tell you about sh***ing in a bucket – but you can save money and have the freedom to go away on weekends.

“After arriving I got a job at a nearby pub. I’d heard of the complaints, and didn’t tell the locals I lived in a van. When I eventually did, they were like ‘we would never have known’.

“I understand some people’s concerns, but I think we need to stop generalising. People here are from all different backgrounds and for different reasons. Yes, I’m sure some do go to the toilet outside, but that’s only a minority.”

Ms Turton – whose van has a bed, kitchen, shower, sink and electricity supply – says she and her partner are in the process of buying a house in the city.

“I don’t particularly feel the tension with locals, but that’s maybe because we are moving away soon,” she adds. “It’s a complex situation and I don’t think there is a solution without restructuring society.”

Many local residents are part of a campaign group called Protect the Downs, which recently presented a petition to the city council calling on it to “remove van-dwelling encampments”.

Campaigners say the park is not for people to live in vehicles, and claim there is evidence of sex offences, threatening behaviour and antisocial behaviour linked to the van dwellers. Some say they are too scared to go out at night, while others are unhappy over claims bushes are being used as open-air toilets.

Tensions have led to some altercations.

In June, while filming with the BBC, Tony Nelson, chairman of Protect the Downs, was reportedly pushed by a man from the van-dwelling community during an interview.

“People are being excluded from using the park because it is now thought the people living in vehicles have claimed the space,” Mr Nelson says. “It’s not right for anyone to be living in a residential street or a park and claiming it as their own space.

“Imagine your local park is used by people who feel they have a right to live in it. Would you want to take your family to that park?”

Last week, the Green Party-run city council wrote to housing secretary Angela Rayner asking for more funding to address the city-wide issue and build more social housing for “more options” for vehicle dwellers.

The city’s housing problem has worsened significantly since the Covid pandemic. More than 22,000 households are on the council waiting list, while housing rents increased by more than 23 per cent between 2020 and 2023.

Green Party councillor Barry Parsons, who is in charge of housing, also wants greater powers to remove vehicles from council land, and a new requirement for caravans to have registrations of ownership, to help with enforcement.

“We have wrestled with this a lot,” he says, when asked if people should be able to live on vehicles on The Downs. “Where we have come to is we don’t think that living permanently in the same place on the kerbside in a vehicle is really a sustainable housing option for anybody.

“We don’t want to see long-term large encampments of vehicles by the highway, we recognise this for some people is something they choose to do and there is a lot of people who move around….. but we think that what our role is in this is rather than our focus being on getting rid of people is really providing people with options.”

Among the options are five meanwhile sites – temporary sites for van dwellers with access to toilets and running water – with two more planned to open soon. In total, there are 67 pitches across the sites available, and the council aims for 250 by the end of March next year.

People living in caravans question if this is the answer.

Friends Tyler Overall, 30, Kalvin Aisles, 27, and Anthony Owens, 29, have been living on The Downs for “several years”. Each has their own caravan, which they say they use as a living base for work at nearby breaker yards.

Sometimes they travel elsewhere for work, such as festivals, before returning.

“This is my lifestyle, no-one has the right to tell me stop,” says Mr Owens, whose caravan has a bicycle across its living area sofa inside. “We get grief from locals, we’ve had lots of shakers [people shaking the caravan], they are doing that because they don’t like us, they think we’re ugly, but this is my heritage.

“We are here because it is safer for us than being isolated on a roadside somewhere else in the city.”

He adds: “These meanwhile sites, they are a good idea, but there aren’t enough, so they [the council] can’t expect us all to disappear to one of them.”

On the other side of The Downs, in the shadow of rows of smart, Georgian houses is another line of caravans and vans – but also the remains of a torched caravan, set alight almost two weeks ago.

The wreckage of metal is undoubtedly an eyesore in the road.

Tim, who does not want to give his surname, lives in a van a few minutes’ walk away. He is a full-time plumber who decided to give up his £1,800-a-month house in the city, and convert his van into his home, where has lived for three years.

“It’s not a community here – you do get some problems, but it’d be unfair to paint everyone with same brush,” he says.

“I like living here, the freedom of the van and saving money. It’s not for everyone, van life, but it shouldn’t be something people look down on, want to push away. Most of us look after the area, it’d be nice if we all could live together in harmony.”

Gordon Ramsay reveals skin cancer scare after undergoing surgery

Gordon Ramsay has revealed he has undergone surgery to remove basal cell carcinoma, a type of non-melanoma skin cancer.

The 58-year-old TV chef shared pictures of a stitched-up area below his ear on Instagram on Saturday, telling his followers he was “grateful and so appreciative” of his medical team for their “fast reactive work”.

He wrote: “Grateful and so appreciative for the incredible team at The Skin Associates and their fast reactive work on removing this Basal Cell Carcinoma thank you!”

The chef reminded fans: “Please don’t forget your sunscreen this weekend,” adding that the stitches were not from any cosmetic procedures.

“I promise you it’s not a face lift! I’d need a refund,” he quipped.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common type of skin cancer that starts in the top layer of skin, and can often be easily treated.

According to the NHS, the main cause is ultraviolet light, which comes from the sun and is used in sunbeds. Risk can be increased by age, having pale skin and having had a history of skin cancer in the past.

Basal cell carcinomas can occur anywhere on the body, but most commonly grow in areas that are exposed to the sun, including the face, head, neck, and ears. It can be removed surgically before a biopsy is performed for the results to be examined.

Ramsay was met with well-wishes from his celebrity friends and fans, with Rob Rinder commenting a red heart emoji.

Fans also applauded the chef for sharing the importance of wearing sunscreen, following increasing misinformation surrounding what has been dubbed the “anti-sunscreen movement” online.

“So important to share things like this, slap on a hat, suncream and seek shade, happy healing, well done to the amazing people who work in healthcare,” wrote one fan.

Cancer Research UK said in the comments: “Glad to hear you’re doing well, Gordon, and thanks for raising awareness of how important it is to stay safe in the sun. Seek shade, cover up, and apply sunscreen regularly and generously.”

Another person addressed the “conspiracy theorists at war in the comments about the use of sunscreen”, adding: “Science backs up the use of it, and science saves lives.”

In July, former The Only Way Is Essex star Sam Faiers told her 2.5 million Instagram followers that she doesn’t use sunscreen, and neither does her family, including her young children. She claimed that sunscreens “are actually pretty harmful and full of toxic ingredients”.

Cancer Research UK estimates that 85 per cent of cases of melanoma (a type of skin cancer that develops in melanin-producing cells) are caused by overexposure to UV radiation. Their analysis has also found that melanoma rates have increased by almost one-third over the past decade.

Dr Jonathan Kentley, consultant dermatologist at Montrose Clinic, London, and the Lister Hospital, recently told The Independent: “Decades of rigorous research show that sunscreen is one of the safest and most effective tools we have to reduce the risk of skin cancer and premature skin ageing.”

He added that “there is no case of cancer that has ever been linked to sunscreen…Conversely, as a busy dermatologist, I can assure you that I have personally seen hundreds of cases of cancer caused by not wearing sunscreen”.

Man Utd level with Burnley in entertaining Premier League clash

Manchester United will return to Old Trafford with their tail between their legs as they face Burnley in the Premier League following their humiliating Carabao Cup exit to fourth-tier Grimsby.

Ruben Amorim is already under immense pressure in the United dugout, with the Red Devils still yet to win a game this season.

Benjamin Sesko returns to the bench after playing the full 90 minutes against the League Two minnows, while keeper Andre Onana is dropped after that display. New signings Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha both start, with a point to prove after both missing penalties in the shootout at Blundell Park.

Burnley, meanwhile, are in good spirits after notching their first win of the campaign last weekend, recording a 2-0 triumph against fellow Premier League newbies Sunderland.

Follow all the action from Man United’s clash with Burnley below.

Make the most of London this summer with this stadium experience

Whether you’re experiencing London for the first time or you’re a family with kids keen to create unforgettable memories during the holidays, a visit to this world-famous stadium in North London is a must.

After 90 years at their beloved Highbury stadium, Arsenal’s ambitions outgrew their original home and in 2006, the club opened the Emirates. With a seating capacity of over 60,000, the Emirates stadium is one of the largest in England. The sheer scale of this field of dreams must be seen to believed — and thanks to its easy-to-reach location, you can hop on a bus or train and get there in no time.

Once there, Arsenal’s award-winning tours open the doors to parts of the stadium that are usually off-limits to the public. For sightseers who prefer to go at their own pace and for those with little ones who tire easily, the club’s self-guided audio-visual tour is a great option.

Fans and families can take their time to soak in the atmosphere and stroll in the footsteps of footballing legends, imagining the roar of the crowd as you step into the players’ tunnel. Afterwards, feel the tension rise in the dugout and experience the best seats in the house in the directors’ box.

It’s a rare opportunity to glimpse the inner workings of a prestigious football club and explore normally restricted areas that also include the home and away dressing rooms, the media lounge and the exclusive members-only Diamond Club.

Available in seven languages on a state-of-the-art handheld device, the tour is narrated by Arsenal presenter David Frimpong, otherwise known as ‘Frimmy’, as well as featuring commentary from Arsenal legends Alex Scott and David Seaman.

As well as audio, the tour recreates the electric atmosphere of matchday using 360-degree augmented footage and includes brand new interactive elements. You can also take souvenir photos with iconic Arsenal trophies, including that of the UEFA Women’s Champions League.

The Arsenal Legend Stadium Tour is a more bespoke alternative to the self-guided tour, where visitors can explore the stadium for 90 minutes alongside an Arsenal hero. Tour guides include Nigel Winterburn and Perry Groves, as well as former women’s captain Faye White MBE.

During the tour, the Arsenal legend will share memories, anecdotes and behind-the-scenes stories from their time on the pitch, offering a unique insider’s perspective on life at the club. Expect plenty of humour, fascinating insights and a chance to hear back-room gossip straight from the legends themselves. There’s also a chance for a Q&A and photo opportunity with your Arsenal legend of choice.

Included with every tour ticket is entry into Arsenal’s interactive museum situated right next door to the stadium. Chart the club’s evolution from humble origins in Woolwich in 1886 to its modern powerhouse status with a global following of over 100 million fans.

The museum features two impressive video theatres, showing highlights from the club’s origins to the present day as well as twenty major displays of Arsenal’s proud history. Feast your eyes on silverware from the club’s most successful eras, Michael Thomas’s boots from Anfield 1989 and Jens Lehmann’s goalkeeper gloves worn for every league match of the unbeaten Invincibles season in 2003/4.

For lifelong Gooners, it’s a trip down memory lane. For families and tourists, it’s an eye-opening lesson in why football matters so much to the UK and is the perfect outing to experience London at its most authentic.

This content is brought to you by Living360, a digital lifestyle destination keeping you up to date with health and fitness, food and drink, homes and gardens, beauty, travel, finance trends and more.

Reform UK council removes St George’s flags over public safety fears

A Reform UK-led council is taking down the display of St George’s Cross and the Union Flag across Durham over concerns for public safety.

Durham County Council said it had noticed an increased number of flags across the county that it believed were compromising public safety for both drivers and pedestrians. It said other displays, such as painted markings on the roads, roundabouts and zebra crossings, had also been noticed.

It has warned residents not to hang flags in areas that may obstruct visibility for drivers or pedestrians, or in locations where they are poorly secured.

In a statement on Friday, the council said: “While we understand and respect the community’s desire to express national pride, celebration, or remembrance, it is important to ensure such expressions do not compromise public safety.

“Yesterday we were left with no choice but to remove bunting across a road at New Brancepeth, following a risk assessment. The rope involved was so strong that, had a high-sided vehicle driven into it, the poles it was attached to could have been pulled down.”

The council said that, at first, it would only be removing flags or decorations that were posing a risk to the public, although it said some flags had already been taken down by third parties.

“We encourage residents to consider safer and more appropriate locations for flags or other displays that do not involve highway infrastructure and conform to all appropriate standards and regulations.”

The council’s decision to remove the flags comes amid a growing trend of displaying St George’s Cross and Union flags across the country.

It is believed to be a part of an organised effort called “Operation Raise the Colours”, an online movement backing far-right figures including Tommy Robinson. The movement has sparked fears that the flags could deepen division within communities, with some fearing that an anti-immigration agenda is behind their display. As a result, councils are taking them down.

Birmingham City Council and Tower Hamlets Council said they removed flags to protect council infrastructure, in line with “a policy setting out which flags are flown from council buildings and on which occasions”.

This week, the Portsmouth Guildhall, a 19th-century landmark, was defaced by vandals who painted a St George’s Cross onto its exterior, which the council has called “upsetting”.

On Friday, Portsmouth City Council said it had a legal duty to remove any symbols painted on roads but that no action would be taken to remove flags displayed on lamp posts or other public spaces would not be taken down unless they posed a hazard.

A spokesperson said: “The Guildhall is a civic and cultural landmark of great importance to the city and its residents.

“Damaging it is upsetting, unlawful and costly to repair. Although the painting has been removed, there is still visible damage.”

Also on Friday, Essex police said they were looking for two men after St George’s crosses and the words “this is England” were painted on an Islamic centre building the night before. Gavin Callaghan, the Labour leader of Basildon Council, posted photos of the vandalism on X, saying the damage was “a disgrace”.