Timeline: Winterbourne View abuse scandal

The abuse at Winterbourne View was uncovered by secret filming by the BBC

1 June 2011

Four people are arrested <link> <caption>after BBC Panorama revealed a pattern of serious abuse</caption> <url href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13548222" platform="highweb"/> </link> at the Winterbourne View private hospital near Bristol.

The programme set up undercover filming after it was approached by former nurse Terry Bryan.

Hospital's owners Castlebeck, apologised and suspended 13 employees.

NHS South West said it was "appalled" and the Care Quality Commission said there was an "unforgivable error of judgement" in not investigating earlier abuse claims.

7 June 2011

Five more people are <link> <caption>arrested over abuse allegations</caption> <url href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13681495" platform="highweb"/> </link> at Winterbourne View.

8 June 2011

An e-mail from a hospital manager showed <link> <caption>five safeguarding concerns were raised</caption> <url href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13700532" platform="highweb"/> </link> about the hospital with South Gloucestershire Council before Panorama filmed there.

9 June 2011

Two more people are arrested while <link> <caption>local MP Jack Lopresti calls for the hospital to be closed down</caption> <url href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-13712123" platform="highweb"/> </link> .

10 June 2011

A date for a serious case review into what happened at Winterbourne View is set.

17 June 2011

Two nurses, Sookalingum Appoo and Kelvin Fore, <link> <caption>are suspended from the nursing register</caption> <url href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-13811646" platform="highweb"/> </link> while abuse claims are investigated.

20 June 2011

<link> <caption>Winterbourne View is to close</caption> <url href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-13848877" platform="highweb"/> </link> , it is announced. Castlebeck said it would transfer patients and would conduct an internal inquiry.

Jack Lopresti MP said: "I stand by my call for the hospital's closure and I am pleased that Castlebeck have come to the same conclusion.

"Given the horrific events which have taken place at Winterbourne View I believe its future running is untenable."

24 June 2011

Winterbourne View closes while a group of 86 organisations called for action to stop a repeat of the alleged abuse.

They wrote to the prime minister asking that the use of residential hospitals be stopped.

The Department of Health said a serious case review would consider the points raised.

19 July 2011

A Care Quality Commission report found there was a <link> <caption>"systemic failure to protect people"</caption> <url href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-14181646" platform="highweb"/> </link> at Winterbourne View.

The report said "some staff were too ready to use methods of restraint without considering alternatives".

The CQC's director of operations Amanda Sherlock claimed Castlebeck had "misled" them.

Castlebeck said: "We are truly sorry for the failures which led to the terrible mistreatment suffered by patients at Winterbourne View."

A 12th person is arrested over abuse allegations at the hospital.

28 July 2011

Workers at Winterbourne View <link> <caption>raised concerns about staff behaviour to South Gloucestershire Council 19 times</caption> <url href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-14316588" platform="highweb"/> </link> before Panorama filmed there, it is revealed.

8 November 2011

An NHS South West report criticises how contracts for Winterbourne View were drawn up.

BBC West health correspondent Matthew Hill said the report showed the contracts had no built-in mechanisms to show how quality could be assured.

28 November 2011

Ten people are <link> <caption>charged in connection with ill treatment and neglect of patients</caption> <url href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-15924774" platform="highweb"/> </link> at Winterbourne View.

The 10 people face a total of 40 charges against four patients under the Mental Capacity Act.

19 January 2012

Eleventh person is charged over allegations of abuse at Winterbourne View.

9 February 2012

Three people <link> <caption>admit the ill treatment of residents</caption> <url href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-16963406" platform="highweb"/> </link> at Winterbourne View.

Wayne Rogers, 31, and Allison Dove, 24, both of Kingswood, admitted to nine and seven charges each and Holly Draper, 23, pleaded guilty to two charges.

16 March 2012

Four more people <link> <caption>admit the ill treatment of residents</caption> <url href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-17399632" platform="highweb"/> </link> at Winterbourne View.

Graham Doyle, of Patchway, admitted seven charges; Danny Brake and Jason Gardiner, both of Bristol, admitted two and Sookalingum Appoo of Bristol admitted three charges.

18 April 2012

Two <link> <caption>more admit abuse charges</caption> <url href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-17755198" platform="highweb"/> </link> at Winterbourne View.

Kelvin Fore, 33, of Middlesbrough, and Neil Ferguson, 27, of Emersons Green, near Bristol, pleaded guilty to abusing the same patient in March last year.

23 April 2012

Winterbourne View is <link> <caption>bought by Glenside Manor Healthcare Services</caption> <url href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-17813279" platform="highweb"/> </link> who say they will reopen it as a neurological rehabilitation centre in 2013.

24 July 2012

Two <link> <caption>council managers are sacked</caption> <url href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-18976916" platform="highweb"/> </link> as a result of events at Winterbourne View.

Both managers were responsible for safeguarding vulnerable adults, the BBC understands.

6 August 2012

The <link> <caption>last of 11 people accused of the maltreatment of five patients</caption> <url href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-19114784" platform="highweb"/> </link> at Winterbourne View admitted guilt over the case.

Michael Onyema Ezenagu, 28, of White City, London, was due on trial at Bristol Crown Court but admitted two charges of ill-treating a patient.

7 August 2012

An independent report into Winterbourne View said <link> <caption>fundamental changes are needed in how care of vulnerable adults is commissioned</caption> <url href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-19162516" platform="highweb"/> </link> and monitored.

Owners Castlebeck took "financial reward without the responsibility", the report's author Margaret Flynn said.

South Gloucestershire Council said it "fully accepted" the findings.

Castlebeck said the criticisms in the report were being "actively addressed".

22 October 2012

The sentencing of <link> <caption>11 care workers began at Bristol Crown Court</caption> <url href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-20028814" platform="highweb"/> </link> begins as the BBC <link> <caption>uncovers allegations of previous abuse</caption> <url href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-19990628" platform="highweb"/> </link> at Winterbourne View.

24 October 2012

Avon and Somerset Police <link> <caption>reopen inquiries</caption> <url href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-20047879" platform="highweb"/> </link> after BBC investigation shows that patient Ben Pullar has two teeth knocked out.

10 December 2012

The <link> <caption>government plans</caption> <url href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20669741" platform="highweb"/> </link> a "dramatic reduction" in the number of people with learning disabilities in hospitals in the wake of the Winterbourne View abuse scandal.