Winterborne View: would we have seen the signs?

 'It's impossible to be sure' says Rob Adams of Grapevine's Quality Group, 'but I bet we would have spotted some clues. You may be able to cover things up during one visit. But we visit four or five times.' Horrific abuse wasn't detected by Care Quality Commission inspectors on their isolated visits to Winterbourne View, a hospital for people with learning difficulties run by the private company, Castlebeck. 
The Quality Group is commissioned by Coventry City Council to carry out peer-led service inspections. The group reports back to the Council with its findings.
 
Rob says his colleague, Dave McCann, homes in on significant little signs when they visit services. 'I'm chatting to the manager and Dave's antennae are waving. He'll say things like "not many photos of people doing things here" and we pay attention to that. Dave's personal experience of services is invaluable.'
 
Dave and Rob are quick to say they're not there to punish services for failings. 'We want people to know we're on their side - there to help them improve things.' And things have improved in many services. As a result of Quality Group inspections, some services are working hard to make positive changes in basic rights for residents (always knocking before going into someone's room, for example), involving people in decision-making, helping people to find a place in the community and supporting people to re-establish friendships lost when they were moved from one placement to another.
 
Going back to Winterbourne View, Rob suggests a peer-led inspection would almost certainly have made the difference. 'When you visit a few times and have our approach, you get to know people, absorb the atmosphere, spot the body language. Yes, I'm sure we would have seen it.'