Last week’s

shocking BBC Panorama investigation into a mental health hospital should make the NHs hang its head in shame. the undercover exposé showed NHs carers lock an autistic woman in a tiny room for nearly a month. Mental health workers also slapped, pinched and swore at patients. While this programme focused on one unit, it’s clear this kind of shocking abuse occurs elsewhere.

It’s not just the examples of blatant abuse that anger me. I worry about the insidious neglect that goes on in so many institutions — where often residents are fed and watered but little else. I know all the explanations for this — poorly paid staff, inadequate training, burn-out from the stresses of the job and so on. But, there comes a point when I just think: enough with the excuses. things must improve — now!