People with learning disabilities are being kept in ‘inappropriate’ institutions, according to a damning report in the wake of the Winterbourne scandal.
Following the 2011 exposé of Winterbourne View, the Government pledged to move all people with learning disabilities and/or autism out of institutions and into community care by June 2014.
However, a new review published today reveals that not only has this not been achieved, but more people are being admitted into institutions than are being discharged.
NHS England commissioned the review from the chief executive of the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO), Sir Stephen Bubb, to see how a new national framework of support might be delivered locally to achieve this goal.
Winterbourne View - Time for Change calls for the urgent closure of ‘inappropriate’ in-patient care institutions and a Charter of Rights for people with learning disabilities and their families.
Responding to the report, Leonard Cheshire Disability’s director of corporate affairs Andy Cole said: ‘We owe it to the hundreds of thousands of people who have a learning disability in England to wipe out the cruel abuse we saw at Winterbourne View. We welcome this report which gives a clear steer to the NHS and local authorities to bring together public funds for health, housing and care.
‘Every local councillor in the country should be thinking about whether their area is really providing the right kind of housing and care to allow people with learning disabilities to leave hospital and live full lives. We hope to see all local councils and health and care services step into action now to put the failings of the past behind us.’
