All long-stay mental health hospitals for people with learning disabilities and autism must close to avoid future abuse scandals.
That’s the view of Sir Stephen Bubb, who wrote a landmark report on the Winterbourne View scandal, and of parent Steve Sollars, whose son was a resident there.
Their call for action on long-stay hospitals, otherwise known as assessment and treatment units (ATUs), comes on the tenth anniversary of the scandal that engulfed Winterbourne View, a privately run long-stay hospital near Bristol.
Sir Steven Bubb says the UK government is “never, ever going to make the change that we need” without a timetable committing it to closing long-stay hospitals
Six care workers jailed
A BBC Panorama documentary in 2011 exposed abuse at Winterbourne View. It showed some very vulnerable patients repeatedly pinned down, slapped, dragged into showers fully clothed, taunted and teased. Six of 11 care workers there were jailed, with five others given suspended sentences.
Sir Stephen Bubb is head of Charity Futures, an independent think tank. He wrote the landmark report Winterbourne View — Time for Change, in 2014.
Sir Stephen believes long-stay hospitals should close. He told Autism Eye that the UK government is “never, ever going to make the change that we need” without a timetable committing it to closures.
At the end of March this year, there were still 2,035 people in long-stay hospitals. The Government has said it aims to cut this to about 1,440 by 2023/24.
Winterbourne View: scene of the scandal that brought long-stay hospital abuse to pubic attention
Long-stay hospitals ‘not needed’
Steve Sollars’ son Sam, now 32, was a resident of the now-closed Winterbourne View.
Driving instructor Steve, 58, from Bristol, said long-stay hospitals are “not needed”.
He said Winterbourne staff restrained Sam, who has Down syndrome, between 45 and 46 times in a six-month period.
Steve added that one official report after another had resulted in little more than “words on a piece of paper”.
Abuse continues
He pointed to a Panorama investigation two years ago into Whorlton Hall, in County Durham, as evidence that abuse continues. That probe showed staff intimidating, mocking and restraining patients.
Steve said Sam is now thriving in a flat with round-the-clock support in Taunton, Somerset.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said it was “committed” to investing in community services.
Related:
- Dismay at inaction over assessment units
- Nearly 50 dead in long-stay hospitals
- Scandal of decade-long hospital stays
- ‘Abject failure’ of hospital plan
- Independent medics sent into hospital
- Hospital placed in special measures
- Huge surge in hospitals using restraint
- Social workers aim to cut hospital stays
- Hospital brought out of special measures
- Still stuck in mental health hospitals
- Spotlight on hospital care
- Families fight detention ‘scandal’
Published: 16 May 2021
