Riot police sent in as patients raid drugs

Officers discovered two patients unconscious and a third semi-conscious in the treatment room at Linden House, a low to medium-secure hospital near Market Weighton.

Officers went in with dogs and full protective clothing and found drugs scattered about and empty packets after staff raised the alarm.

One of the patients, aged 21, remained in hospital yesterday.

The incident comes a year after its operator Care Principles was ordered to pay more than £17,000 in fines and costs by Beverley magistrates after admitting five charges relating to the administration of medication. The failings were uncovered by inspectors from the health watchdog the Care Quality Commission during unannounced visits in September 2008.

A Linden House spokesman said Saturday’s incident had been reported to the CQC and an internal investigation was ongoing.

He said: “Full details of the incident are under investigation and a rigorous 72-hour incident enquiry led by our medical director has already been commissioned to ensure any necessary immediate action can be taken promptly. A full enquiry into all the circumstances is being initiated.”

He added: “CQC as the regulatory authority for Linden House has also been properly informed. We will be working closely with them both to establish the facts and what lessons there may need to be learned for the short and medium term. The parents and relatives of those involved in the incident have been provided individually with all the facts as we know them in respect to the individual patients involved.”

At the earlier court hearing, Beverley magistrates heard medicine was stored at the wrong temperatures, there was a failure to maintain stock checks or record the destruction of drugs and a patient was given medication without appropriate documentation.