A charity that was involved in a VIP sex abuse investigation has lost its NHS funding over concerns about poor governance, unqualified staff and controversial therapy techniques.
The Lantern Project received £139,500 of its total £140,344 income from NHS Wirral Clinical Commissioning Group – with a similarly large percent of its income coming from NHS funding over previous years.
Today Wirral CCG confirmed that a decision was made by NHS Wirral Clinical Commissioning Group to “cease funding to the service”.
“Wirral CCG has previously commissioned The Lantern Project to provide counselling and psychotherapy to victims of sexual assault, sexual abuse and domestic violence,” it said.
“Recently, however, the CCG has been made aware of, and continues to have concerns regarding, the governance of the service, the therapeutic model used and the use of unqualified staff.
“Unfortunately, following the review, and as the CCG were not assured in these areas, a decision has been made to cease funding the service.”
A report in the Daily Mail this morning alleges two witnesses to an investigation into VIPs accused of child sex received therapy at the Lantern Project centre – including a technique called unstructured therapeutic disclosure. As part of the therapy, victims are given details of the effects of sex abuse suffered by the counsellor, which the paper claims leads to false abuse memories.
The charity’s website was down for a “redesign” this morning, but the Daily Mail alleged the website referred to victims having “memories they have tried for many years to bury deep in their sub-conscious”.
The technique has led to concerns about false memories being used in criminal cases.
Wirral CCG confirmed that the last payment to the charity will take it to the end of December.
"We will endeavour to work with the Lantern Project to support existing patients to the end of their treatment,” it said.
Other patients will be transferred to alternative services, it said.
Both the Charity Commission and Lantern Project were approached by Civil Society News for comment but did not respond by the time of going to press.
