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Big money behind institutional thinking Meader’s view
There has been widespread criticism, not
least in Community Living, of the
continuing housing of people with
learning disabilities by the NHS in
institutional settings far from their
families and communities, with the
accompanying risk of abuse.
The government’s response has been the
NHS Transforming Care policy. This
envisages reducing places at these
establishments by up to 50%, and replacing
outdated facilities with “state of the art
units”. This second part is very worrying.
Recently, I was shocked to learn that
approval has been given for a unit of 40
places next to Ashworth Hospital, a
maximum security hospital, on
Merseyside, costing £33 million.
It is described as being for “low
security” need; there is already a larger,
medium-secure facility on site. We have have been working with the Foundation (https://tinyurl.com/y22tuttv). These
a build-up of facilities on one site, next to for People with Learning Disabilities to reports cover all types of residential care,
a maximum security psychiatric hospital, deliver Pass-it-Online mental health including settings for people with learning
based on treatment through congregating training, funded through the government’s disabilities, and draw attention to issues in
people together, special architect- £750 million charity support package. admissions and testing, PPE, withdrawal
designed buildings and use of technology. Trainers with learning disabilities have of care and restrictions on visits.
That is what is meant by state of the art. I been paid to deliver workshops around Finally, Professor Chris Hatton of
call it institutional. the country as part of the Pass It On Manchester Metropolitan University has
My idea of state of the art would be project, which is for people with learning drawn attention in his excellent blog to
housing people in their own homes in their disabilities. The sessions look at what the problems posed to those with learning
local community close to their families, mental health is, the five ways to disabilities as a result of priority for the
with whatever support they require. wellbeing and making plans. They focus proposed vaccination roll-out being given
This was the recommendation of the on all of the practical things people can do by age (https://tinyurl.com/y42r6mha).
2007 Mansell report on care of people to stay happy and healthy. Each of these reports suggests that the
with difficult behaviour. This report, and You can find out more about this project needs of people with learning disabilities
the direction of policy and philosophy in at https://tinyurl.com/y2st635f. have gone unrecognised because of either
learning disability services for the last 50 Lisa Watchorn a failure to see them as a priority group or
years, has been totally ignored in the Communications Lead, Learning Disability a focus on the needs of the older
planning of this sort of service. England, Birmingham population at the expense of others.
Capital expenditure of £33 million for Self-advocates, advocates, professionals,
40 people works out at £825,000 per Covid truths need public attention families and any other supporters should
person. What fantastic community A number of recent reports are starting to do everything they can to get this
resources could be bought for that. describe the full impact of coronavirus on information into the public domain by
I’m afraid institutional thinking is still people with learning disabilities in the UK. contacting their MP and local councillors,
with us, with large sums of money being Public Health England published Deaths making representation to their local
thrown at it. My predictions are continuing of People Identified as Having Learning health representatives and spreading the
isolation of people, distress to families and Disabilities with Covid-19 in England in the word to friends and contacts.
possible recurring incidents of abuse. Spring of 2020 in November (https://tinyurl. Samantha Beckett
Paul Williams com/y2lj93p9). This suggests that the death Northumberland
Trowbridge, Wiltshire rates of adults with learning disabilities
rose by a higher margin than those of
Pandemic mental health support adults in all age groups. Their death rates Coming soon
Learning Disability England has been are estimated to be 6.3 times higher than Online legal seminar
bringing our members and partners those of the general population.
together during the pandemic to help In October, the Equality and Human Presented by Community Living’s legal
people stay safe, well and connected. Rights Commission published expert, Belinda Schwehr of Cascaidr
More than 40% of people with learning parliamentary briefings on the impact of Check www.cl-initiatives.co.uk for
disabilities have had issues with their Covid-19 on equality and human rights in details and prices
mental health during the pandemic and we residential care in both England and Wales

6 Vol 34 No 2 | Winter 2021 Community Living www.cl-initiatives.co.uk