MP’s pledge after patient went without medication for six days

Charlotte Cripps, 32, spent two-and-a-half years at the privately-run £400-a-day Alpha Hospital in Sheffield which was ordered last month by the Care Quality Commission to make immediate improvements after it found patients were not always safeguarded from abuse or the risk of it, among other failings.

Charlotte, who is now living in supported housing in Hull, was sectioned in 2009. From the outset she said she witnessed distressing scenes, including other women patients trying to harm themselves.

She once spent three days waiting for a needle she had inserted in her arm to be removed, and on another occasion was not given medication for six days, which a case conference later concluded amounted to “abuse in the category of neglect”.

Her mother Janice Cripps said: “We had to argue even to have her basic needs met.”

Mrs Cripps says she feels Hull primary care trust didn’t take their complaints seriously and added: “They need to monitor the care they are buying to get value for money.”

East Hull MP Karl Turner said it was “very concerning” a constituent had been referred to a hospital that had been found wanting by the CQC.

“I understand the hospital is now under review and is complying with an action plan to get standards up to a satisfactory level,” he added. “I will be monitoring the situation and will be writing to the Alpha Hospitals and to Jo Dent, regional director of the CQC, for a full update.”

Alpha Hospitals said: “The CQC recently visited Alpha Hospitals on December 1 and confirmed in its report our compliance with all safeguarding standards.”

Hull PCT said it monitored its contracts closely.

The CQC said it was to return to check compliance on care and welfare.

[email protected]