Rita Page, 68, and Lynette Crook, 33, plead guilty to charges related to ill-treatment of patient after being secretly filmed

This article is more than 6 years old

This article is more than 6 years old

Two care workers at a £3,000-a-week private hospital have been caught on film slapping, jabbing and humiliating a brain-damaged patient as he lay groaning in bed.

Rita Page, 68, and Lynette Crook, 33, were secretly filmed by the victim's family smacking the young victim's legs and swearing at him as they changed his bedding at the Priory Highbank specialist hospital for treatment of neurological disorders in Bury, Greater Manchester.

The film emerged as the pair pleaded guilty to charges of ill-treatment of the vulnerable patient on the first day of their trial at Bolton crown court.

On the secret tape, Page could be heard saying: "You won't beat us, bastard. There's this very fine line between abuse and neglect. Don't you dare be sick on me boy, don't you dare – you dirty, scummy boy."

The footage was filmed between 28 August and 19 September 2012 by the patient's family, who were worried about his treatment at the privately run hospital.

Believing their concerns had not been addressed by senior staff, they hid secret surveillance cameras around the man's room at the hospital.

The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had suffered brain damage following an accident when he was younger.

After the abusers submitted their guilty pleas, the young man's uncle called for surveillance cameras to protect vulnerable patients, saying: "If you have nothing to be ashamed of then it won't be an intrusion."

Page, from Bury, and Crook, of Ramsbottom, were suspended from their duties and were arrested after the footage was handed over to police.

Both were bailed pending a sentencing hearing in May but a judge warned them immediate custody was likely.

Page pleaded guilty to two charges relating to use of abusive language and slapping the patient's leg during a struggle when she put a pillow between his legs.

Crook pleaded guilty to three charges relating to her jabbing the patient in the torso and head with a pen while he was asleep, using abusive language and slapping his leg while taking his blood pressure.

Seven other charges will lie on file.

Speaking after the case, Malcolm Bower-Brown, regional director for the Care Quality Commission, said: "We are aware of this shocking case involving two former employees of the Priory Highbank Centre in Bury. Our thoughts today are with the victim of this dreadful abuse, and their family.

"Our most recent inspection in February 2014 found the home to be meeting the national standards reviewed. However, we continue to monitor the position carefully and will not hesitate to take any regulatory action necessary to ensure residents receive the service they are entitled to expect."

A spokesman for Priory Highbank hospital said: "Everyone at the company deeply regrets the unacceptable actions of these two members of staff, both of whom had over 10 years' service and previously unblemished records.

"The company will not tolerate behaviour of this nature and both healthcare assistants have been dismissed for gross misconduct. This was an isolated incident and does not represent the high standards at this otherwise excellent hospital."