Help the vulnerable

The government’s demand for urgent discharge reviews for every person with learning disabilities and autism detained in long stay hospitals is a momentous step forward.

For far too long, many of the most vulnerable in our society have remained indefinitely confined, denied access to quality care, leaving their families anguished and distant. Many do not get the Care and Treatment Reviews (CTRs) they are entitled to, which are crucial for successful transition back into the community Enough is enough. Our experience shows that personalised services are safer, more effective and cheaper than institutionalised care. We must listen to survivors who are thriving in their own homes with staff they choose. Matt Hancock’s ambitious plan to see 400 inpatients freed by the end of March cannot be allowed to fail but to achieve this without incurring an unacceptably high risk of placement failure. We estimate that those 400 inpatients must be identified within the next fortnight with planning for each person well progressed by the time of the general election.

The transition process – for example tackling deep rooted anxieties, recruiting and training the right staff and finding the right home for someone – cannot be rushed. Discharge plans should be part of all CTRs, and there must be financial penalties for providers if CTRs aren’t undertaken, and penalties for commissioners if discharge dates are missed.

Only by listening to survivors and their loved ones, can we eradicate failures that have been plaguing the system and those in its care, for far too long. Steve Scown,

Chief Executive, Dimensions, Theale, Reading, RG7 4SA