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Select Committee · Health and Social Care Committee

Treatment of autistic people and individuals with learning disabilities

Status: Closed Opened: 3 Feb 2021 Closed: 1 Aug 2022 14 recommendations 6 conclusions 1 report

Limited progress in improving the way autistic people and individuals with learning disabilities are treated is to be examined by the Health and Social Care Committee. The short inquiry will hold the first of two evidence sessions next week with particular focus on the use of restraint and “sectioning”. It will also consider issues around … Show more

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Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Fifth Report - The treatment of autistic people and people … HC 21 13 Jul 2021 20 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

4 items
6 Recommendation Fifth Report - The treatment of autisti… Accepted in Part

The Trieste model of care—characterised by simplified and quicker admissions to and discharges from inpatient...

The Trieste model of care—characterised by simplified and quicker admissions to and discharges from inpatient facilities; limited number of individuals in inpatient facilities for lengthy durations; and emphasis on well-resourced community support—presents a clear and better alternative to supporting autistic people and people with learning disabilities than is currently in … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government agrees in principle with the recommendation for less restrictive care, stating it is already taking steps to ensure robust reporting of restrictive practices and emphasising therapeutic inpatient care. It highlights existing legislation like the Use of Force Act and notes CQC is improving …
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Department of Health and Social Care
8 Recommendation Fifth Report - The treatment of autisti… Accepted in Part

In pursuing that policy, we recommend that by the end of 2021 the Department and...

In pursuing that policy, we recommend that by the end of 2021 the Department and NHS England & Improvement: i) introduce weekly formal reviews of the suitability of admission for all autistic people and people with learning disabilities who have been kept in inpatient facilities for three months or more; … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government accepts some parts of the recommendation, agreeing to regular checks (while noting existing reviews), that people should not be in hospital due to lack of community provision, and to remove the definition of autism as a mental health illness in forthcoming legislation.
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Department of Health and Social Care
9 Recommendation Fifth Report - The treatment of autisti… Accepted in Part

Furthermore, we recommend that autistic people and people with learning disabilities should never be admitted...

Furthermore, we recommend that autistic people and people with learning disabilities should never be admitted to an inpatient facilities that has received an “inadequate” rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The Department for Health & Social Care must bring forward measures to ensure that service commissioners can no longer … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government agrees in part, stating the NHS will take action to avoid admissions to CQC-rated "inadequate" facilities but notes rare exceptions may occur, and commits to ensuring patient and family involvement in such decisions.
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Department of Health and Social Care
14 Recommendation Fifth Report - The treatment of autisti… Accepted in Part

We recommend that staff involved in the treatment of autistic people and people with disabilities...

We recommend that staff involved in the treatment of autistic people and people with disabilities in inpatient settings receive training in care planning which has a clear and unhindered focus on: i) understanding that autistic people and people with learning disabilities have non-treatable conditions and therefore should not be assessed … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government accepts the need for better staff training, stating they are starting new programmes, but indicates that not all staff will complete the training by the recommended April 2023 deadline.
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Department of Health and Social Care

Oral evidence sessions

3 sessions
Date Witnesses
27 Apr 2021 Bengi O’Reilly, an individual with lived experience, Claire Murdoch · NHS England, Dr Sara Ryan, an individual with lived experience, Fiona Walshe · Department of Health and Social Care, Helen Whately MP · Department of Health and Social Care, Roger Banks · NHS England View ↗
13 Apr 2021 Baroness Sheila Hollins · Beyond Words, Dr Ian Davidson · NHS and Royal College of Psychiatrists, Dr Ken Courteney · Royal College of Psychiatrists Intellectual Disability Faculty, Dr Theresa Joyce · Care Quality Commission, Ian Birrell, Journalist, Professor Philip Fennell · Cardiff University, Sir Norman Lamb, former Minister at the Department of Health View ↗
9 Feb 2021 Alexis Quinn, autism activist, author and Restraint Reduction Network Manager, Dan Scorer · Mencap, Ivan Olbrechts · Learning Disability England, Julie Newcombe · Rightful Lives, Vivien Cooper · Challenging Behaviour Foundation View ↗

Who gave evidence

18 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Alexis Quinn, autism activist, author and Restraint Reduction Network Manager — 1
Baroness Sheila Hollins · Founder Beyond Words 1
Bengi O’Reilly, an individual with lived experience — 1
Claire Murdoch · National Director for Mental Health NHS England 1
Dan Scorer · Head of Policy, Public Affairs, Information and A… Mencap 1
Dr Ian Davidson · Autism Lead NHS and Royal College of Psychiatrists 1
Dr Ken Courteney · Chair Royal College of Psychiatrists Intellectual Disability Faculty 1
Dr Sara Ryan, an individual with lived experience — 1
Dr Theresa Joyce · Clinical Psychologist and former National Profess… Care Quality Commission 1
Fiona Walshe · Director for Mental Health and Disabilities, Shie… Department of Health and Social Care 1
Helen Whately MP · Minister of State Department of Health and Social Care 1
Ian Birrell, Journalist — 1
Ivan Olbrechts · Representative Body Member Learning Disability England 1
Julie Newcombe · Co-Founder Rightful Lives 1
Professor Philip Fennell · Emeritus Professor Cardiff University 1
Roger Banks · National Clinical Director for Learning Disabilit… NHS England 1
Sir Norman Lamb, former Minister at the Department of Health — 1
Vivien Cooper · Founder Challenging Behaviour Foundation 1

Correspondence

3 letters
DateDirectionTitle
26 Oct 2021 — Correspondence with the Minister of State for Care and Mental Health on Treatme…
22 Jun 2021 To cttee Letter from the National Mental Health Director on assuring transformation data…
25 May 2021 To cttee Letter from NHS England and NHS Improvement on the Committee's inquiry into Tre…