Extract from NHS England, 30 October 2015
People with a learning disability and/or autism* will be supported to lead more independent lives and have greater say about the support they receive under a national plan
published today to radically improve learning disability services.
Central to the progress set out by the plan over the next three years will be new, high-quality, community-based services.
Hundreds of people with a learning disability and/or autism are expected to benefit from new, better care options in the community instead of hospitals, with more never being admitted in the first place.
The plan predicts that, as these services are put in place, there will be a reduction of up to 50 per cent in the number of inpatient beds, meaning that some units will close altogether.
In particular, a key plank of plans developed in Lancashire and Greater Manchester will be to close and re-provide services offered by Calderstones, the only remaining standalone learning disability hospital trust in England…
Complete article and supporting documents can be found at
https://www.england.nhs.uk/2015/10/30/homes-not-hospitals/
Last NHS hospital in England for people with learning disabilities to close
Calderstones in Lancashire will close along with up to half 2,600 hospital beds in NHS and private sectors as part of changes following Winterbourne View scandal
Extract from The Guardian, 30 October 2015
The only remaining NHS hospital in England for people with learning disabilities is to be shut under a £45m plan to drive through modernisation of services following the Winterbourne View scandal.
Calderstones hospital near Clitheroe, Lancashire, will close along with up to half the 2,600 hospital beds in the NHS and private sectors that are being used for learning disabled people. The beds will be replaced by supported housing schemes.
The plan, set out in a joint report by NHS England and council leaders, is being welcomed by learning disability charities and campaigners after more than four years of failure to deliver on promises of reform made after disclosure of abuse of patients at the former Winterbourne View private hospital, near Bristol…
Source and full article at http://bit.ly/cforum44
Dr Paul Lelliott comments on ‘Homes not hospitals’
Source: Care Quality Commission, 30 October 2015
Commenting on NHS England’s plans to transform learning disabilities services in England, Dr Paul Lelliott, Deputy Chief Inspector of Hospitals (lead for mental health), said:
“As one of partner organisations of the transforming care programme board, we support the vision to create more appropriate models of care so that people with learning
disabilities can live more independently and whenever in their best interests, receive the care and support they need outside of hospitals’
“These plans herald a period of great change for services and, more importantly, for the vulnerable people concerned who rely on their care. It is vital that they, and their families and carers, are fully engaged in the individual decisions about their future care.
“Our inspections are structured around what matters to people who use services and how well they are served – this includes assessing the experiences people with learning disabilities and when they are being cared for as inpatients, what providers are doing to support their discharge. As well as this, we are continuing to look at how we register potential new ‘assessment and treatment’ providers so that inappropriate models of care do not continue. We will publish an update on our plans later this year.”