"Catastrophic failure" in patient safety reignites calls from BASW for urgent systemic reforms

Criminal levels of abuse have been found at St Andrew’s mental health hospital in Northampton

The British Association of Social Workers (BASW) expresses concern following the revelations of a collapse of care at St Andrew’s mental health hospital in Northampton, and the subsequent decision by NHS England to write to NHS commissioners notifying them that they need to find alternative placements for the 287 people currently detained in appalling conditions. 

This move follows a catastrophic failure in patient safety, including widespread allegations of physical and sexual assault, seeing 15 staff arrests, and the hospital being placed in "Special Measures" and rated as inadequate by the CQC.

Social workers have long warned of the inherent risks within "closed cultures." When vulnerable individuals are placed in large, institutions far from their homes and families, the "eyes and ears" of the community are removed. As seen in the harrowing Hesley Group and Wharton Hall reviews and many, many others, a lack of external oversight and the isolation of residents create breeding grounds for abuse and neglect. We cannot continue to "warehouse" people with complex needs in isolated and disconnected hospitals where their connections with family and their local communities are limited or stopped completely. 

The failures at St Andrew’s are a stark reminder that the promises of "Transforming Care" post-Winterbourne View have not been fully realised. Institutionalisation is a systemic failure across the NHS and across England, not just a provider failure.

Under the Mental Health Act 2025, restrictions on liberty will be minimized while still ensuring safety of the person and public safety and the use of the Act to detain people with autism or learning disabilities will be limited. However, to achieve this, their needs to be a significant investment in the development of locally based health and care services and community support.  

BASW calls on commissioners to replace out-of-area placements with local services that ensures families can remain actively involved and people can maintain their local connections, backed by the funding to build robust community infrastructure and housing. We must move away from a culture of detention and embrace a social model of disability that prioritises dignity and supported independent living.

Andrew Reece, BASW England’s Strategic Lead for Wales and England said: 

“This deeply troubling crisis and the harm that continues to be experienced for people in need of compassion and support highlights a clear need for improved national training, regulation, and professional recognition of the care and support workforce. We cannot expect high quality, rights-based care from a system that often relies on overstretched and undervalued staff. BASW will continue to push for better working conditions for all social workers going above and beyond to support people in the system.”