ADMISSIONS to Blandford's Priory Hospital have been immediately suspended after the private facility - which treats children and young people up to the age of 18 who have a learning disability or autism diagnosis - failed its latest inspection.

Young people told inspectors they felt unsafe on the wards and that there had been a number of incidents where young people had assaulted or were bullying each other. There were also several assaults on staff.

The Care Quality Commissioners found that staff used physical restraint frequently. "They did not report all incidents, particularly around physical assault and racial abuse," said the inspection report.

"Some young people told inspectors that staff did not treat them or behave well towards them. They said they felt degraded, that staff were not caring, and that there was no compassion. They also said that staff stayed in the office and that they could hear them talking about their care. They believed staff were not interested in them."

Patients complained that there were limited activities on the wards and young people were often bored. "In addition, the hospital could not provide safe and effective support to young people with an eating disorder due to not having timely access to a dietician or occupational therapist to provide specialist support," said the report.

Deputy Chief Inspector for Hospital Inspection, Dr Paul Lelliott, said: “The care provided at Priory Hospital Blandford fell well below the standard that people should expect. We identified several serious problems regarding the quality of care and patient safety that needed immediate attention.

"Due to our concerns for the safety of young people, we issued a warning notice immediately after the inspection. At time of the inspection, staff lacked an understanding of what was required to provide a good quality service to young people who require a specialist learning disability Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service."

Priory Hospital Blandford was placed into special measures after a Care Quality Commission inspection in May resulted in it receiving an overall rating of Inadequate.

This rating was applied to the categories of being safe, effective, caring and well-led and it was told it Requires Improvement for being responsive to people’s needs.

As well as the young people with autism, the hospital looks after youngsters with a mental health problem.

Dr Lelliott said that staff at the hospital did not have "the experience and skills to manage the complex needs of the young people on the wards."

“As a result of our inspection NHS England have taken the decision to suspend admissions until further notice," he added. "Since our inspection we have continued to monitor the hospital closely. We will continue to do this and will not hesitate to take further action if the provider doesn’t make all the required improvements.”

The hospital's website says it aims to "provide young people with the best care and support possible, in the least restrictive way, adhering to the values and principles of positive behaviour support."