The shocking lack of UK provision to meet the mental and physical health needs of people with autism has again come into the spotlight following the forced removal of a young woman to be cared for 250 miles away from her home.
The Swansea-based family of Claire Dyer, 20, (pictured) say they have lost their fight to prevent a health board moving their daughter from a local unit to a secure hospital in Brighton. They say the provision is unsuitable and a five-hour drive away from her home.
Catherine Dyer, Claire’s mother, said her family is “heart-broken” by the development, adding: “This decision will tear our family apart.”
Claire’s predicament follows other high-profile cases where young people have been placed in so-called ‘specialist units’ at great distances from their homes and against their family’s wishes.
In 2009, 21-year-old Steven Neary was unlawfully placed in a care unit in Hillingdon, Middlesex for a year. He was due to be moved to a care home in Wales until his father, Mark, succeeded in a legal battle to free his son from the grip of the local authority. In April this year Josh Wills, a 13-year old boy with autism, was placed in a unit in Birmingham, 260 miles away from his home in Cornwall. Although people are meant to be in such places for a short period, some remain in them for years.
Adding to the crisis in provision, the lack of staff training in the specialist units has also come into question following the death last year of Connor Sparrowhawk, 18. Connor, who had autism, drowned in a bath at an Oxfordshire NHS in-patient unit for people with learning difficulties.
The charity Mencap has added its voice against the moving of Claire Dyer from “the family that loves and supports her”.
Wayne Croker, director of Mencap Cymru, said in a statement: “We want to see an end to the unacceptable culture of long-term placements in inpatient units, often hundreds of miles away from their homes, where people are at significant risk of abuse and neglect. This can cause huge distress and there is no doubt that this is the case for Claire and her family.”
Croker said: “Governments – whether in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland – must be committed to providing quality support and services for people like Claire in their local community.”
Although Claire’s family obtained an injunction blocking the move, it was overruled by a judge. The decision by Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board to move Claire is set to go ahead.
The health board told the court that Claire was being moved because she had “extremely challenging” behaviour and there was no suitable provision in Wales.
The plight of people in Claire’s situation has given rise to the launch of a campaign for a private member’s bill. The LB Bill (named after Connor Sparrowhawk’s nickname, Laughing Boy) is intended to end long-distance care for people with learning difficulties and improve community-based care.
Published: 2 August 2014
