Thornford Park Hospital promises to up security following patient's escape

The hospital admitted at a recent meeting that John Maguire, a medium risk psychiatric patient, was unsupervised when he used bedsheets to scale the 5.2- metre fence that surrounds the perimeter.
He was found at Birmingham New Street station four days later by British Transport Police. There he was arrested on suspicion of escaping lawful custody and was sentenced at Reading Crown Court last month.
At the meeting between the hospital, police and the Thornford Park Liaison Group - set up to provide a link between the hospital and the local community - the hospital said it will now have a staff member patrolling the perimeters of the site eight times a day instead of four.
It added that medium risk patients will not be allowed out into the grounds of the hospital without supervision in future.
The hospital and the liaison group are also working together on a revised absconsion protocol to agree what course of action should be taken in the event of a patient escaping after several complaints from local residents that they were not told of Mr Maguire’s escape until several hours afterwards.
Chair of the Thornford Park Liaison Group, Mike Bloomfield, said: “It was a very constructive meeting and I think the hospital has realised that they made a mistake and that something needed to be done.
“I am pleased that things are starting to move forward and the hospital are making efforts to rebuild its relationship with local residents.”
The hospital has launched an internal investigation into how Mr Maguire was able to escape from the grounds.
A spokeswoman for the hospital, Caroline Walker, said: “We are working with NHS England to examine the circumstances surrounding this particular matter as well as reviewing internal procedures to ensure any lessons are learned.”
Last month West Berkshire Council approved controversial plans to build a Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) housing high risk patients despite objections from Thatcham Town councillors and local residents over safety concerns.
The height of the fence surrounding the PICU will be 3.2 metres - two metres lower than the one from which Mr Maguire escaped.