Mental health institutions provide assistance to several people that might have worries about their state of well-being. Hence, they do not only provide treatments for the affected individuals, but they also offer diagnostic services that might be required at any time. Further, they provide other interventions based on the requirement of a specific condition. Therefore, their existence in society cannot be regretted because of such benefits that are accrued from them. Broadmoor Hospital is one of the leading psychiatric institutions in England because of the reputation that it has had over time. However, Jimmy Savile, a DJ who was invited to the institution to aid in the entertainment of the vulnerable patients ended up committing several inappropriate acts including sexual assault on innocent people at the institution. Therefore, this paper draws a connection between the Jimmy Saville inquiry and its association with mental health.

Hospitals are supposed to provide patients and the other stakeholders who might be involved with the requisite care and security without being coerced.  Colling & York (2009, p.22) addresses the essence of healthcare facilities extensively. This aspect not only requires that the medical practitioners can work without fear, but it also guarantees the patients a haven as they fight towards their recovery. Therefore, those are crucial necessities that any basic institution should not lack. It shows the level of commitment that is directed towards ensuring that everyone feels safe within the premises. Broadmoor Hospital administration was supposed to ascertain that there were no loopholes within their system that could have allowed the atrocities that were committed by Jimmy Savile.  However, the events that have been unravelled by the Jimmy Savile Inquiry provides some aspects that should be understood about the institutions that handle various mental disorders and how they are managed.

1. History of Mental Disorders Treatment

Jimmy Savile’s conduct at Broadmoor Hospital provides a chance for reflection into the history of mental treatment that needs to be understood. In the past, most people did not comprehend the manifestation of various mental disorders. Most of the people who were suspected of such conditions were mostly kept in seclusion so that they could not harm themselves. Further, in some places, they were considered to be a sign of bad omen because they could not behave as others who were perceived to be normal. Hence, it took the intervention of several bodies to enlighten the public on the nature of the conditions. Additionally, interventions were given on how to code various problem that a patient could have. Consequently, based on the exhibition of specific behavioural codes, the diagnosis of mental conditions became less cumbersome as people got to know the ways through such complicated lifestyles that the people were expected to lead.

The historical context of Jimmy Savile exposes some weaknesses that ought to have been handled in advance, but they were given little or no attention at all. Historically, various conditions manifest themselves in diverse ways. Hence, a facility ought to have the appropriate management program that should help such individuals when they are under care in a facility such as Broadmoor Hospital. The techniques that are applied when handling patients should cause them the least physical and psychological harm so that they can be comfortable with future procedures. This point reiterates the essence of the interventions that are applied when handling mental or psychiatric cases. An element of calm and empathy is necessary when dealing with such individuals because most of them might exhibit signs of hostility when in a facility. Hence, it is the prerogative of the respective institutions to ascertain that they provide everything that is needed to handle the mental disorders that are brought to their attention. The Jimmy Savile Inquiry, although late, gave a picture of the grim experiences that patients go through in the places where they are supposed to be safest (Slevin 2014, p.1).  The entire crew that handles such cases are professionals who have mostly gathered adequate experience on the modalities of handling this special group of patients. However, the situation seemed to have been different at Broadmoor Hospital in England based on the revelations of Jimmy Saville. Allegations of sexual abuse should be unheard of in such facilities, but it was confirmed that Jimmy Savile had even committed more crimes that could have led to his incarceration through a proper trial.

Historically, Broadmoor Hospital has not had any public cases of indecent conduct or sexual abuse that has gotten such media attention. The populace has also been involved in the follow up of the allegations that were made since people have become more enlightened on the events that are happening in most places. The Jimmy Savile Inquiry is the first high profile and the most publicised case that has rocked the psychiatry world based on the nature of atrocities that Jimmy Savile is alleged to have committed in Broadmoor Hospital. Halliday (2014, p.1) states that he had been involved in other cases in another facility before he joined Broadmoor Hospital. Therefore, this exposes the handling of mental disorders in the institutions that handle such cases.

1. The Reputation of the Broadmoor Hospital and Treatment of Mental Disorders

As seen above, it is appropriate for medical institutions that handle special patients to be careful because they handle cases that cannot be handled in most of the existing facilities. The operations of such hospitals are closely monitored because of the individuals who are within the radar of professionals. Psychiatry cases are not easy to handle. Therefore, the right equipment and personnel are necessary for everything to be successful. The Broadmoor had become an institution of interest since the beginning on the inquest in October 2012. Most people have been inclined to know the authenticity of the claims that have been levelled against the institution based on the conduct of Jimmy Savile. The facility had not been involved in any publicised case since its inception, but the Saville Inquiry has made focused the lens towards that direction.

The inquest at the Broadmoor Hospital is a confirmation of how negative publicity and indecent conduct can affect a reputable institution. The concerns of parents and relatives of patients who are admitted at the hospital will have to increase as they are worried about the possible reoccurrence of the atrocities that Saville committed on the individuals with mental disorders. Therefore, the inquiry at the facility has brought genuine concerns to the public and other stakeholders on the factors that need to be considered when dealing with mental cases within a facility. There are key points that should never be left unturned. Slevin (2014 p.1) states that Broadmoor has been providing treatment for the majority of the mentally ill patients in England for more than 150 years. This point showcases the level of the commitment that is required to run any mental hospital in the world. Notably, some of the patients have gone through tough times in their lives. Hence, places like Broadmoor Hospital provides them with an opportunity to recover from the harshness that they have been experiencing from the outside world. The professional help in mental facilities should be therapeutic to individuals with mental disorders. However, Savile went overboard to abuse the individuals who needed to be salvaged from the bitterness in society. The professionalism at Broadmoor for more than one decade was tarnished by an individual who was only supposed to aid in the recovery of the patients. Consequently, he has exposed the world to the events that might be happening to reputable institutions such as the Broadmoor Hospital, a reputable institution that has been in existence for several years. People ought to be exceedingly careful when handling different cases that might have some repercussions. The sensitivity of Savile’s case is derived from the fact that Broadmoor is supposed to provide special care to mentally ill patients. Further, the inquiry exposes the assaults and abuses that could be going in other facilities that handle patients with a mental disorder like was the case at Broadmoor. Slevin (2014, p.1) reiterates that the facility has been brought to dishonour by the revelations that ensued after the inquiry.

1. The Inquiry Exposes the Unprofessionalism in Handling Mental Disorders

The medical field is among the areas that require the highest conduct and utmost levels of professionalism because it deals directly with the sustenance of life. The psychiatry and medical students are taken through the essence of ethical conduct in the profession when they are still undergoing tutelage in their various institutions. Hence, this aspect is no longer strange to them when they acquire an appointment in any facility. They should follow the same steps to end of their professional lives when they quit. Barker (2010, p. 26) talks about the various perspectives of psychiatric ethics that should be upheld when dealing with the patients and the other stakeholders who are involved in the recovery journey of a patient. Barker (2010, p.26) states that a person who is an inductee of the profession has to adhere to the norms to provide help to the specific cases that are being handled at any given time. Therefore, the Savile Inquiry at Broadmoor Hospital exposed several flaws that should not arise at an institution that handles psychiatric cases. Further, it was an expose that showed the world that mental disorders should be handled professionally with appropriate back-up machinery to ascertain that everything has been followed to the latter. There are crucial leads that need to be considered in medical facilities to weed out any element that would jeopardise the delivery of services in any way.

The inefficiency of the decision that was made to introduce Savile to Broadmoor in 1968 was evident based on the fact that he was there for over three decades. In the process, he committed some of the sexual abuses during that period. Kirkup & Marshall (2014, p. 3) state that Dr. McGrath’s endorsement of Savile, a medical superintendent was regarded as unarguable. Therefore, if in any case, someone had a contrary opinion on his inclusion to Broadmoor, then it was unlikely that the official could have changed his mind. His rigidity seemed to have helped Savile in carrying out his abuses on innocent patients in the hospital. He had gotten the endorsement of the medical superintendent. Hence, he was all set to continue with his work. People tend to work in tough conditions, but Savile seemed to be committed to his work, and he was even accorded accommodation within Broadmoor after approximately ten years (Kirkup & Marshall 2014, p.3). These points indicate that he then set to commit his atrocities within the facility with a little indulgence from the management and the professionals at Broadmoor.

It is important to conduct a background check before granting anyone an opportunity to work in any organization. This aspect tends to cushion the potential employer from negative habits that could have been exhibited at the former station. Contrarily, it also offers the leadership with a chance to learn about the performance of the specific candidate before signing a contract or any other form of an employment agreement. This approach could have shelved Broadmoor from the challenges that hit the facility after several decades. Before getting an opportunity at Broadmoor, Savile had been a former worker at Leeds General Infirmary (LGI) (Halliday 2014, p.1). Halliday (2014, p.1) further states that he is believed to have sexually assaulted 60 people during his tenure at LGI. An independent investigation found out that at least 33 of the victims were between 5 and 75 years old. Therefore, the medical superintendent at Broadmoor, Dr. McGrath ought to have done a thorough background check before offering him a job at the facility. There were employees at LGI who had witnessed Savile commit some of the acts. Hence, the leader could have gotten some insight or overview of the expected conduct of Savile before he was endorsed to operate at Broadmoor Hospital. This whole circus showcases how patients with mental disorders suffer because of the unprofessionalism of the people who handled them, both professionally and administratively. The administration could have halted the continued delivery of his services amidst such grim allegations at his former station at LGI.

1. The vulnerability of Patients with Mental Disorders

Health or medical institutions ought to provide the last line of protection to any person who might have a problem that can be handled by the professionals. Therefore, nothing should change that aspect because it would be a betrayal to the people who have committed themselves to offer services in such facilities. Steve Schrubb was the WLMHT chief executive apologised to Saville victims. Admittedly, he stated that Broadmoor Hospital had been the first place where patients had found their lives (Slevin 2014, p 1). This point affirms the position of most institutions that provide care to people with psychiatric conditions. It is their prerogative to provide assistance to such individuals. However, the Savile Inquiry  showed some aspects that exposed innocent patients to crafty professionals or workers. Some mistakes make any form of abuse an effortless undertaking thus worsening the recovery of such people.

There are some decisions that were made by the Broadmoor Hospital that showed that the management could have unknowingly made the patients within the facility vulnerable to abuses akin to what Savile had committed. Kirkup & Marshall (2014, p.3) reiterate that the facility gave Savile keys that enabled him to access some unrestricted areas within the place. This point shows that it was assumed that he would act professionally. However, the ability to access such places was the opening that gave him leeway in committing most of his victims during his tenure at Broadmoor. Further, (Kirkup & Marshall 2014, p.3) show that the facility is one of the most guarded specialist mental health institutions in England. That assumption seemed to have worked against the management because Savile committed multiple offenses without being caught for over three decades. The security detail ought to have gotten wind of his moves within the facility.

Savile had a unique personality that let him get away with his indecent conduct and abuses within Broadmoor Hospital. He was not only deceptive but also manipulative in character. Kirkup & Marshall (2014, p.3) hint that most of the staff members were concerned about his friendship with the top brass of the facility. Therefore, there were fears within the employees at boardroom that any confrontation with Savile could have earned them dismissal. Hence, most people preferred to be silent on some of the issues. The Seville Inquiry at Broadmoor Hospital is a confirmation that even mentally ill patients are not safe from harm. Several lapses within the professional and managerial ranks deny them a chance to enjoy an uninterrupted recovery session at the various institutions that exist. The inquest has brought up crucial leads that could be used in ascertaining that every patient and their caregivers are safe.

In conclusion, the Jimmy Savile Inquiry has shown that even psychiatric patients are not safe. The Broadmoor Hospital is among the most reputable within the sector of psychiatry services, but Savile managed to leave a mark through his unethical conduct. The trail of the story shows that there were some crucial points that were overlooked. However, such should not be allowed in places where mental disorders are treated. The administration and the medical practitioners should come together and formulate on tighter controls that would prevent any further exposure of patients to such acts.

Reference List

Barker, P. (2010). Mental Ethics: The Human Context

Colling, R. L., & York, T. W. (2009). Hospital and healthcare security.

Halliday, J. (2014). How Jimmy Saville charmed his way into hospital corridors. Retrieved from www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/jun/26/jimmy-savile-institutions-victims-abuse

Kirkup, B & Marshall, P. (2014). Jimmy Savile Investigation: Broadmoor Hospital: Report to the West London Mental Health NHS Trust and the Department of Health. Retrieved from https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/323458/Broadmoor_report.pdf

Slevin, J. (2014). Report reveals full extent of Jimmy Savile’s sexual abuse at Broadmoor Hospital. Retrieved from www.getreading.co.uk/news/local-news/report-reveals-full-extent-jimmy-7330636