The government has committed to protect vulnerable adults from abuse, following the damaging expose by BBC's Panorama programme last week.

Health minister Paul Burstow told BBC News he was "committed to strengthening the safeguards for vulnerable adults," which are currently much weaker than those that are in place to safeguard children, as those with social care jobs may be aware. 

"I'm committed to follow through on some recommendations we have received recently from the Law Commission to implement statutory safeguarding rules that will require the police, the NHS and social services to work together," Mr Burstow said.

While a review was already on the government's agenda, footage of patients being mistreated has brought the issue to the public's attention and therefore brought forward the government's efforts to make changes.

Details of a safeguarding board, similar to that which protects children, are due to be announced within the next two weeks.

"We will legislate to make it a requirement for every council with social care responsibilities to have an adult safeguarding board," Mr Burstow continued in the Belfast Telegraph.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has been criticised over the situation for failing to act upon the information about abuse given by a whistle blower at one of the homes, Winterbourne View in Bristol, in which the BBC filmed. The CQC have offered an "unreserved apology."