Families calling for outdated institutional care facilities to be shut down are being ignored by the UK Government – despite promises to reform the system.

Winterbourne View: the hospital was closed down in 2011 after the BBC’s Panorama programme exposed abuse there

The institutions, which have long housed people with conditions including autism and learning disabilities, came under scrutiny following the Winterbourne View scandal five years ago, where abuse was televised in a private hospital near Bristol.

Now, the families of the victims of Winterbourne View have written an open letter to the UK prime minister expressing their anger over the way ministers have broken their promise to reform the system. There are still more than 3,500 people in such places today.

In the letter, the families said there had been a “painfully slow lack of change” five years after the Winterbourne View scandal was exposed by a BBC Panorama TV documentary.

Dragged along the floor and slapped

The undercover filming exposed staff who were bullying vulnerable Winterbourne View residents, some of whom had autism and learning disabilities. Undercover filming captured residents being dragged along the floor and slapped by support workers.

Steve Sollars, whose son Sam was in Winterbourne View at the time, said the British government “should be ashamed of itself”.

Mr Sollars said people in such places are “at risk of abuse through over-medication and restraint”. He said his son Sam had experienced both.

Institutional care promises not upheld

Government promises have not been upheld to close such institutional care provision and introduce more appropriate support, such as supported living in the community, where vulnerable people can be closer to families.

A spokesperson for NHS England said families would see progress over the coming months and years as more people would be discharged from hospitals and their care and treatment reviewed. However, NHS England also acknowledged that progress up to now “hasn’t been quick enough”.

The families are being supported by Dr Margaret Flynn, who authored the Winterbourne View serious case review, as well as Vivien Cooper, chief executive of The Challenging Behaviour Foundation, and Jan Tregelles, chief executive of Mencap.

Published: 2 June 2016