Sign up to our newsletter for the latest Northumberland news Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

A HEALTH trust faces calls to publish details of an internal investigation into the cruel psychological abuse of mentally ill teens by its staff.

Three workers have been sacked and another re-deployed after allegations of abuse at the Roycroft Unit at St Nicholas’ Hospital in Gosforth, Newcastle, last year.

A further three, said to have failed to report abuse, were suspended but faced no further action.

Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust has conceded young people at the clinic for troubled teens were given derogatory nicknames such as “crusty”, “spaniel” and “Princess Fiona”.

One member of staff, now understood to have been sacked, hanged a patient’s teddy bear to taunt them. It is not the first time the unit has been examined. In 2009, a Service Improvement Team addressed concerns about the clinic, named after Brian Roycroft, former director of Newcastle’s social services.

Shortly after it published recommendations, however, Samuel Willis, a 17-year-old being cared for at the clinic, drowned during a supervised trip to Whitby.

Although no staff were held responsible, the trust carried out a six-week inquiry which, an inquest heard, resulted in new policies at the clinic.

But now, as the investigation into the scandal concludes, the trust remains tight-lipped about the full extent of staff’s behaviour and appears unwilling to make public the probe. A spokesman said: “Our patients and members of staff deserve nothing less than the highest standards and our trust values are very clear in this respect. The vast majority of our staff demonstrate these behaviours day in and day out, and have an exemplary approach to their work.

“However, unfortunately in September we were made aware of some examples where some members of staff have not adhered to these standards and in some instances this has led to individuals being disciplined.

“Our priority is always to ensure the on-going safety and wellbeing of our patients and in line with our policy of zero tolerance for any inappropriate or potentially abusive behaviour, the trust has taken firm action.”

Chi Onwurah, MP for Newcastle Central, said the trust’s statement was inadequate and urged health chiefs to be more open.

She said: “Given the severity of the allegations and the vulnerability of the young people in their care, the trust needs to demonstrate that they have fully investigated the charges and have taken the appropriate action.

“I’m surprised and disappointed that the Trust thinks these few paragraphs are enough to reassure the people of Newcastle on such a troubling issue.

“I think a report should be published to show exactly what the staff have done, what action was taken and what the trust has done to ensure that it won’t happen again.”