UK Health Radio Medical News
Update on the Hour
People
with learning disabilities in England are being kept in hospitals far from home
for too long.
A BBC report has said that Sir Stephen Bubb, recommends introducing a charter of rights and
more community facilities for people with learning disabilities and that "inappropriate" in-patient
facilities should be closed.
The
report comes after abuse was exposed at Winterbourne View care home in Bristol
in 2011.
Sir
Stephen, chief executive of the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary
Organisations (ACEVO), was asked by NHS England how to address "serious
shortcomings" in support for those with learning disabilities.
The
BBC spoke to Phill Wills, whose son Josh has a learning disability and severe
autism, has to travel 300 miles from Cornwall to see him at a treatment
hospital in Birmingham.
He
told BBC News he has "fought tooth and nail" to have Josh's care
provided nearer to his home.
"When
we felt that we weren't being listened to, it felt like Josh wasn't being
listened to," he said.
Neglect
and abuse of patients by staff at the Winterbourne View private hospital, near
Bristol, was uncovered by BBC Panorama. Six people were jailed in 2012 and five
given suspended sentences.
Sir
Stephen said: "We urge immediate action, to close all Winterbourne-style
institutions and ramp up community provision.
"The
time for talk is over. It's time for people with learning disabilities or
autism and their families to be put first."
Prime
Minister David Cameron said: "We have got to do more to get people out of
hospitals and into loving and caring homes in the community."
Labour
leader Ed Miliband said there were still more people with learning disabilities
moving into care than leaving.
Gary
Bourlet from advocacy group People First England, who has a learning
disability, said: "The report is full of good words. But there's not much
here that hasn't been said before.
"We
need someone to take charge of making change happen. And that person should be
working alongside someone with a learning disability. We call that co-working.
And we need a timetable as well."
NHS
England expects about 1,000 reviews, which are supported by clinicians as well
as NHS and local authority commissioners, to have taken place by the end of the
year.
Do
you have any experience of this? We
would love to hear your story.
Amanda Thomas
UK
Health Radio Medical News Update on the Hour
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