Multiple rapist escaped hospital because staff couldn't interpret politically-correct letter

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A serial rapist escaped from a hospital for the second time in three years because the politically-correct jargon used to describe him failed to alert staff to the danger.

Terrence O'Keefe, who was serving a life sentence in a hospital's secure mental unit, was described as a "medium secure patient."

When he was transferred to another hospital in February for treatment, this meant staff did not understand the risk he posed, an inquiry found.

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Terrence O'Keefe has been on the run since February

O'Keefe, 39, fled from King's College Hospital in South London after guards failed to handcuff him and he has been on the run ever since. Police say he is dangerous and should not be approached.

He had previously escaped from the same hospital in October 2005.

The revelations emerged in a damning report by South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, which runs Lambeth Hospital in South London where O'Keefe was being detained.

It said: "Recent events have suggested that certain language such as 'medium secure patient' is not transferable in the understanding of the level of risk posed."

The report concluded: "Consideration therefore is required as to how we portray or use common language whilst remaining sensitive to the patient's treatment needs."

The inquiry also found that procedures for transferring high-risk patients were inadequate. The trust says these have since been strengthened.

The report said that such patients should now routinely be handcuffed. The embarrassing report was briefly posted on the Trust's website but was removed after it prompted media enquiries. The Trust has since refused to make a copy of the report available.

A Trust spokesman claimed the report had never been intended for publication because it contains confidential information about security at hospitals.

The spokesman said: "Language used in psychiatric services can sometimes be complicated.

"This has been highlighted in this report and will be something that we will consider as part of determining any changes to our policies and procedures and their language."

Hilary McCallion, the Trust's director of nursing and education, said: "As a result of this incident we immediately strengthened arrangements for transferring medium secure unit (MSU) patients to acute hospitals.

"This included increasing the number of staff, from two to four, responsible for escorting MSU patients.

"All MSU patients will now be individually assessed to determine the level of risk involved in transferring them, should this be necessary at any time.

"Where the risk assessment indicates that it is appropriate we will use a security guard trained in physical restraint to accompany clinical staff responsible for the escort.

"Each individual risk assessment will be peer reviewed and regularly updated.

"Clearly, it is important for us to learn from this incident and to ensure that our policies are in line with the best available elsewhere in the NHS."

Police believe O'Keefe may be hiding in Liverpool, where he lived as a boy.

When he escaped in 2005, police arrested him the same evening after he was spotted in the city.

O'Keefe's brother Raymond Kennedy, 33, is also serving life for killing a homeless man in Liverpool in 1991. He has escaped from custody three times, most recently in September last year.

Last September, Kennedy absconded from Sudbury prison in Derbyshire, 16 years into his life sentence.

He was caught three months later on Christmas Eve after returning to his Liverpool home for the festive season.

O'Keefe is described as a light-skinned black man with a shaved head who may be wearing glasses.

When last seen, he was wearing a green fleece jumper, black jeans and tan-coloured Timberland style boots.

 

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