Select committee: Health and Social Care Committee

Conclusion 4

Fifth Report - The treatment of autistic people and people with learning disabilities Published 13 Jul 2021 Paragraph 42 Addressed to Department of Health and Social Care

Health and Social Care Committee Treatment of autistic people and individuals with learning disabilities All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗

Conclusion (the committee's words)

Since the Winterbourne View scandal, over 10 years ago, successive governments have committed to reducing the number of autistic people and people with learning disabilities in inpatient settings and prioritising community support for these individuals. However, missed and delayed policy targets suggest a more radical approach to unlocking funding for community provision is urgently needed. Too often autistic people and people with learning disabilities are assessed as needing to stay in an Assessment and Treatment Unit (ATU) not for temporary assessment or treatment but simply because appropriate community provision is not available, as evidenced by the shocking six year average length of stay.

From: Health and Social Care Committee, Fifth Report - The treatment of autistic people and people with learning disabilities (HC 21), paragraph 42, 13 July 2021

Government response

The government responded to the whole report on 27 July 2022 (deadline 13 September 2021).

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The government's response welcomes the Committee's report and sets out its position recommendation by recommendation, accepting some in full, some "in principle" or "in part", and not accepting others, alongside the Building the Right Support action plan and the draft Mental Health Bill.

On costs, it accepts the recommendation for a complete assessment "in principle" while noting "the practical challenges in providing a complete assessment of costs"; a task and finish group is to develop "targeted solutions" on funding and financial oversight.
It does not accept a ban on long-term admissions or the Trieste model: "we do not intend to implement the Trieste model of care" and does not agree admissions "should be banned altogether", pointing to Mental Health Act reforms.
On weekly reviews and compensation, it accepts recommendation 4 "in part": it does "not intend to implement weekly formal reviews" or to introduce compensation under the Mental Health Act, but proposes additional review points and Tribunal referrals.
On closing Assessment and Treatment Units, it accepts "in principle" that care must be person-centred but does "not accept" closing all mental health inpatient units within two years, and expects to keep some capacity, including forensic.

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