Abuse of care home residents will continue without radical reform, warns Peter Beresford.
Peter Beresford is Professor of Social Policy at Brunel University. He is also Chair of Shaping Our Lives, the national disabled people’s and service users’ organisation and network.
His disturbing analysis of the current situation, and of the failings of the several services and agencies involved, has just been published.
It begins with this assertion:
“The first thing that needs to be said about what’s come to be called the Winterbourne View scandal, is that it was systemic and that the pressures that gave rise to it are likely to be on the increase rather than on the wane.”
and he reaches the following conclusion:
” If people with learning difficulties and other disabled people are to be safe in services and live full and equal lives, then services need to be democratised, independent advocacy needs to be resourced and whistleblowers need to be properly protected. The lesson of Winterbourne View is that none of these crucial components is close to being in place. Any government proposals for reform in this area must squarely address all these issues.“
The full text of this article can be found on the Disability Now website