Last week, I gave you notice of an important documentary, a Channel 4 Dispatches report on people with learning disabilities and autism who become long-stay patients (effectively residents) of hospitals and specialist units administered by NHS England. Under Lock and Key was distressing viewing.
Rescare’s office staff have now seen the programme via catch-up, and like many, have been left angry and depressed. Personally, I was most upset to realise, from parents’ accounts of their own experiences, how many rights parents lose when a young person becomes an inpatient; and by the programme’s confirming what I actually already knew, that despite post-Winterbourne commitments, there are still over 2,400 people in ‘specialist’ (sic) hospitals and residential placements. Former minister at the Department of Health, Norman Lamb, was interviewed for the programme, and seemed especially upset and angry, offering a personal commitment to pursue this issue. For information, the programme remains available via TV catch-up services (not sure for how long), or via the Channel 4 website via this link . Brace yourself and watch…
As you might have expected, there has been considerable reaction to the programme (and I am now off to collate material for the next edition of Resnews), but please see have a look at the following:
- Leo Andrade writes on a ‘national scandal’ for the Guardian’s Social Care Network
- Challenging Behaviour Foundation focuses on St Andrew’s Hospital and ‘patient’ experiences
- change.org Isabelle Garnette gives an update on her own earlier petition: ‘You can help other vulnerable young people get home’
- NAS and Young Minds launch a campaign for an ‘Always’ Charter linked to
- an online petition Always #HelpToGetHome
If you are on Twitter, look for that hashtag #HelpToGetHome