Patients describe 'culture of abuse' as 15 hospital staff arrested

Patients, relatives and whistleblowers have described a culture of abuse at a mental health hospital, while 15 staff members have been arrested following allegations of rape, ill-treatment and neglect.

St Andrew's Healthcare in Northampton, which provides specialist care for about 600 people with complex mental health needs, is the subject of three police investigations following alleged assaults and the deaths of two patients.

The charity that runs the private hospital said it had dismissed several staff members and was delivering an urgent action plan to address the issues.

St Andrew's Healthcare said it was committed to "full transparency" and took a "zero-tolerance approach to any allegation of harm or poor practice".

Anne, whose name has been changed, told the BBC she was horrified by the injuries sustained by her daughter while she was a patient at St Andrew's Healthcare.

"They were restraining her with four adults and on one occasion she was knelt on by a male member of staff," she said.

"She was waking up every night for months and was obviously in a severe amount of pain with her ribs," she added.

Anne said her daughter had "lost half her body weight" and showed "all the symptoms of being malnourished".

"She lost the use of her hand while in long-term segregation" and on two occasions she had suffered severe burns from coffee, she added.

Anne has made a series of safeguarding referrals to West Northamptonshire Council, but said she had not gone to the police due to the lack of witnesses and CCTV.

"It's traumatic. Something's got to change and the only way things can change is by people now speaking out," Anne said.

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Source: BBC News, 17 February 2026