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oral history

Nevertheless, it limited people’s lives. It
was a big employer in the village of
Starcross – a village within a village you
could say, but a place apart.
The philanthropy of the past had created
the institution to provide a purpose in life
but, in reality, “purpose” had dwindled to
patients sitting on the boundary wall,
looking out on a world denied them. They
had no personal possessions, and no
choice over the food put in front of them
or the activities they could take part in.
For some, as the interviews reveal,
institutional life had advantages: shielding
them from an unkind or difficult world; a
routine; friends close at hand; and even
daily GP care. Starcross Hospital: “It’s important to realise that people didn’t ask to come back,” said a psychologist
But in many ways the ease of life was an
illusion. There were plenty of downsides, other people… then you hit your head
not least being constantly in a crowd of somewhere and you find out how that The Starcross story
people and having no sense of your own works and you do it again.”
family in what was often a hothouse for Staff and some residents saw the he institution opened as the
antisocial behaviour. hospital through the lens of familiarity Western Counties Idiot Asylum in
Nursing officer Sheila Easby was at the and liked to recall the happy side of life TStarcross, Devon, in 1864 – the
heart of early attempts to move care into there – and that also helps to explain why picture above is from 1876.
the community: “Originally, the groups the institution persisted for so long, In 1914, it became the Western
that went into small hostels thought they Having decided that closure was the Counties Institution, Starcross. In 1948,
were going into a different sort of best and only viable option, the challenge it was transferred to the NHS. It finally
institution but, at that time, it was better was to visualise what could be provided closed in 1986, in line with government
than the institution they came from.” instead. The vision of that time is a useful policy on closing institutions and a
measuring stick for what passes for move to care in the community.
In praise of privacy community care now, decades later.
She recalled: “I remember one resident… To have your own room, your own front
she added: ‘One of the nice things about door, the chance to choose and not be However, she warned: “You get some
being out, I can go to the bathroom… and closed off from the world – all these should parents who will abuse the system and
I can lock the door… I haven’t been able be rights. Equally, support should be there are some who will only use it in a
to do that before’.” available to make these possible. Life in the dire emergency... and I’ll say ‘It’s time he
This was echoed by McAvoy: “The two community should not mean stress and came in, I expect you need a break?’ If
awful things about the institutions was uncertainty, loneliness and empty days. there isn’t short-term care for young
the total lack of privacy… and the lack of people, the family aren’t going to cope.”
choice, particularly in terms of diet and The difference outside Perhaps Williams should have the last
when they actually ate.” The oral archive interviews reveal some word: “I think it’s an important thing
“They were environmentally handicapped key points that arose from the closure and to realise that people didn’t ask to
– by the environment around them,” the move to care in the community come back.
recalled nursing sister Jean Waldron, who perceived by people involved at the time. “It was said at a Starcross meeting, by a
had taken the leap from running a crowded McAvoy pointed out: “The things that patient on the team: ‘Why can’t I live in a
hospital ward to overseeing a new local are better are the attitudes of the new house like everybody else?’ And it’s when
unit providing support and respite care. staff, who have never probably set foot you try to answer that question… It was
“Some of them had been in hospital care inside an institution. It’s lovely – they do Ken, who now lives in his own house
since they were in their early teens and look upon people with disabilities as in Plymouth.
they were in their 80s now and had never equals and they treat them like that “It exposes the bizarre fact that we
had a bedroom of their own. Unbelievable! naturally. That is absolutely superb.” were in the guise of treatment and
“When you are elderly, you usually have Easby said: “The local support units... hospital care. Looking back, we ask: How
problems with your waterworks... they so that you were still near your family ... could we do those incredible things?” n
literally had to go about 50 yards to get to book yourself in and out,” but added:
the nearest loo and, to me, that was “One thing about community care, you do Caroline Hill is a former NHS head of
absolutely atrocious.” need procedures and you need communications. She was asked to create
Institutionalisation had a lot to answer monitoring systems.” the Starcross oral archive which is at
for. Psychologist Dr Chris Williams Regarding respite, Waldron said: https://starcrosshistory.blogspot.com/
explained at the time: “Behaviour “Compared to. Starcross… the unchanging
problems – they are not constitutional routine… there’s a tremendous difference. Reference
problems of mentally handicapped They go and sit and have coffee and chat King DJ (2019) Moving on from Mental
people, they are situational problems. to people, parents are in and out, a busy Hospitals to Community Care – a Case Study of
When they have to compete with 30 little unit.” Change in Exeter. London: Nuffield Trust

www.cl-initiatives.co.uk Community Living Vol 35 No 1 | Autumn 2021 25