TEN members of staff from the disgraced psychiatric ward at Glan Clwyd Hospital have been reported to their professional bodies.

The news comes less than 24 hours after First Minister Carwyn Jones promised that disciplinary action would follow the damning report claiming “institutionalised abuse” at the Tawel Fan ward at the Ablett Unit.

The Crown Prosecution Service has decided that no action will be taken against anyone but in a report to next week’s meeting of the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board Bernie Cuthel, who was appointed interim Director of Primary, Community and Mental Health in the wake of the scandal, says that seven employees have been referred to the Nursing and Midwifery Council and three to the General Medical Council.

Ms Cuthel explains what steps have been taken to tackle the issues raised in the independent Ockenden Report on Tawel Fan which was released two weeks ago.

The Board’s Chief Executive Professor Trevor Purt has already described the treatment of some patients as “shocking, inexcusable and unacceptable”, and among Ms Cuthel’s recommendations is “the need to progress at pace the disciplinary process in relation to those staff alleged to have participated in the poor care”.

Referring to the report’s findings on the culture of staff on the ward, which suggested that it operated as “a closed and inward-looking culture”, she says that was one of the key indicators for service failure involving the abuse of vulnerable patients in care.

“A review by the Consultant Nurse for dementia of all OPMH (Older People’s Mental Health) wards found that no other areas have such a culture although dementia care mapping as part of the OPMH nursing development plan found that there was a negative culture and use of negative language within the ward teams.”

That problem is being tackled “head on” through training in “positive person work and compassionate care”.

“Every ward team has participated in a series of challenging workshops during which staff have been supported to confront their own behaviour and beliefs,” says Ms Cuthel.

In April Health Inspectorate Wales visited the Heddfan psychiatric unit at Wrexham Maelor Hospital and found that there was good tea m working at ward level, with strong leadership and supportive management. Patients were also complimentary about the staff.

But improvements were called for to the building and emergency systems, and for steps to be taken to improve the privacy and dignity of patients.

The inspectors found that staff training should be stepped up and highlighted a shortage of consultant psychiatrists.

“The Board will now, through its committee structure, ensure that actions are taken to address these issues and report on the progress to Healthcare Inspectorate Wales,” says Ms Cuthel.