THE community has been left shocked by a damning report which highlighted a culture of abuse at Mendip House.

Mendip House was closed down by The National Autistic Society in 2016 after whistle-blowers reported a shocking catalogue of mistreatment of six vulnerable residents.

But a recent report, which was published in January by The Somerset Safeguarding Adults Board, revealed residents at Mendip House were forced to crawl around on all fours, pay for staff meals, had cake thrown at them and were bullied by a group of male carers.

The SSAB is now calling for national change to the way patients are placed in care and will lobby the Government to address abuse on a national level.

Since the report's publication, residents and councillors have expressed their shock at the abuse and are backing calls for widespread change in the care sector.

Councillor Bob Filmer, Sedgemoor District Councillor for Brent Knoll, said "lessons need to be learnt" so abuse on this scale does not happen again.

"I think what has happened at Mendip House is awful and that lessons need to be learnt across the board about how patients are placed and managed in care," Cllr Filmer said.

"The community has been left shocked and upset by this report and I think it is important that lessons are learnt so this doesn't happen again.

"I welcome the calls for a national change and the action that Somerset County Council is taking to ensure services are safe."

Stephen Chandler, director of adult services at Somerset County Council, said the county council is "fully committed" to protecting vulnerable people in adult care services and will ensure procedures are correctly structured to avoid further incidents of abuse.

“Following any Serious Case Review, it is always important that every agency reviews and learns from the outcomes, " Mr Chandler said.

"After the recent Mendip House review, the county council will continue to ensure our procedures are correctly structured, that we involve families and agencies as much as possible and we always look for assurances that were not in place at Mendip House.

"We also regularly review feedback from the Care Quality Commission and our health colleagues and listen and act upon anyone who raises a concern.

"We are fully committed to protecting the most vulnerable in our society and we are working hard to ensure this situation is minimised from ever happening again.”