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Patients were nursed on the floor, others were left to “run around naked” and there was a lack of dignified and compassionate care at a mental health ward – a shocking report published today proves.

An independent investigation also found that patients’ human rights may have been violated at Tawel Fan, the ward at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd which was shut down in December 2013 amid allegations of historical abuse and neglect between 2011-2013.

The report revealed a catalogue of failings which showed that people were also sworn at and subjected to “shocking” neglect and “appalling” mistreatment.

One man sustained a broken arm that went unnoticed by staff until his daughter brought it to their attention.

Another relative says they found a new injury on their dad each time they walked on the ward, but were never told about them.

According to the report by Donna Ockenden, of all the families interviewed, 89% had "serious or very serious concerns" about the care their relatives received on Tawel Fan – 60% of whom were over the age of 80.

WATCH: Trevor Purt offers 'unreserved apology' for Tawel Fan scandal

One family told how they sent two thank you cards to the ward through fear their relative may one day have to be re-admitted.

Patients were left 'unbathed'

Sadly, he died within six weeks of discharge, but his family told Ms Ockenden: “It’s too late for our xxxx now, too late but whilst I still have breath in my body I will fight to ensure that no one, no one ever suffers the way xxxx did on that ward.”

The report also revealed that some of the most vulnerable patients were left unbathed, despite requests from family members.

GPs and politicians react to 'shocking' Tawel Fan report

One relative said: “She was smelly quite often and I did ask why couldn’t she be bathed every day in view of the incontinence and was told they had far too many patients for them to bath as regularly. I asked daily.”

Another male patient was found by his family “freezing”, wearing just a pair of shorts in winter.

Families also reported seeing staff lock themselves in the office away from patients.

“They (the patients) walk round in circles that’s where all the fights start along there, all the staff are stuck in the office, they’re all locked in there and all that patients do is walk round and round,” said one relative.

Staff have been suspended but no-one has yet been dismissed

Medication was also not provided to patients.

As a result of the revelations, eight nurses were suspended, four were moved to other duties and two doctors had to work under supervision.

Police involvement into the matter has now ended, but the health board will continue with their own disciplinary procedures.

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board apologised for letting vulnerable patients and their families down “so badly” at a media briefing held this morning.

The board's chief executive Trevor Purt apologised and described the findings of the report as “shocking, inexcusable and unacceptable”.

“On behalf of the health board, I am extremely sorry that we let our vulnerable patients and their families down so badly,” he said.

Mr Purt and his colleagues acknowledged there had been serious failings within the mental health service and vowed that nothing like this would ever be allowed to happen again.

Treatment of patients was 'inexcusable'

He said: “We want to be open and honest about what happened on the Tawel Fan mental health ward at Glan Clwyd Hospital. That is why we are making public the independent report into the care and treatment of the patients on the ward prior to the ward’s closure in December 2013.

“In addition to the urgent actions taken when the concerns were escalated to the Board, we have prioritised a range of work to prevent anything like this from happening again.

“The treatment of some patients on the ward described in the report was shocking, inexcusable and unacceptable and we acknowledge the immense distress that the families are feeling.

“Now that the Police investigation has concluded, we will resume our own internal disciplinary processes that were deferred as a result of the Police investigation as a matter of urgency.”

As for the future of the ward, Mr Purt said it would never reopen, although a similar ward may one day take up the vacant space under a different name.

Read the full report here