The number of people with autism and learning disabilities held in long-term segregation has risen by more than 29 per cent in two years.
Baroness Hollins has called on the Government to do more to ensure people with autism and learning disabilities can live in their own communities
The figures emerged from a House of Lords debate about plans to get people with autism and learning disabilities out of long-stay hospitals.
Former psychiatrist Baroness Hollins challenged the UK Government to prevent people ending up in hospital when assessments recommend they live in the community.
Long-term segregation number rises to 100
The independent peer told how two years ago the numbers held in long-term segregation stood at 77, but have now risen to 100.
Hollins said years of inaction and delay have seen progress stall on plans to discharge people from hospitals.
In 2019, Hollins began reviewing the care of the 77 people held in long-term segregation.
She said: “We must do everything we can to give people the choice to live where they want and with whom they want, just as we all do.”
Thriving in their communities
Hollins said her review showed how people could thrive in their communities after discharge.
She also called on the Government to make it a legal requirement to report “restrictive practices”, such as putting people in long-term segregation.
Hollins said details should be published of “organisations that still have patients in long-term segregation”.
Still more than 2,000 in mental health hospitals
Overall, the latest NHS figures show there were 2,085 people being held in mental health hospitals at the end of September.
The Government aims to cut this to around 1,440 by 2023/24.
Health minister Lord Kamall said the Government is investing more than £90 million in additional funding in community services and support for discharges.
Related:
- Autistic patients held in bare cells
- Families wait for action on segregation
- Abuse ‘endemic across care system’
- Families fight detention ‘scandal’
- ‘Abject failure’ of hospital plan
- 100 restrained face-down in a month
- Ombudsman slams mental health care
- Four in five suffer poor mental health
- Still stuck in mental health hospitals
- Mental health problems go undiagnosed
- Scandal of child mental health spending
Published: 7 November 2021
