Source · Select Committees · Health and Social Care Committee
Recommendation 8
8
In pursuing that policy, we recommend that by the end of 2021 the Department and...
Recommendation
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; and such reviews should be used to determine whether it is in individuals’ interest to remain in such facilities. Furthermore, with the agreement of individuals’ families, these reviews could take-place on a monthly-basis; ii) ensure that those reviews are conducted by experienced clinicians who have no financial or personal connection including with working the inpatient facility concerned so as to guarantee their independence; iii) where the reason for a long-term admission (greater than three months) is due to a lack of appropriate community support and provision, the NHS should be required to find and set up community provision within eight weeks using the funding from the inpatient facility. The Mental Health Act 1983 should be amended to include automatic compensation for the breach of human rights involved for individuals for whom this is not delivered; and iv) proceed with removing the definition of autism as a disorder in the forthcoming reforms to mental health legislation in line with the commitments provided by the previous Secretary of State. (Para 56) 40 The treatment of autistic people and people with learning disabilities
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
Suggestion 4 The Committee suggested that we: • Work with the NHS to regularly check on people with a learning disability and autistic people in a mental health hospital to see whether they need to stay there. • Make sure these checks are made by an independent health worker like a doctor or nurse. 12 • Make a law that says people should not have to live in a mental health hospital just because there are no places for them in the community. • Make sure the law does not say that Autism autism is a mental health illness. Our reply We agree with some of this suggestion. We agree that people should only go into a mental health hospital for the shortest possible time. We agree that people in mental health hospitals should be regularly checked to decide whether they need to stay there. 13 We also want to plan what should happen when a person leaves hospital. The plan should be made when they first go into hospital. People with a learning disability and autistic people already have a regular review of their care and education. This happens every 3 months for children and every 6 months for adults. We agree that people should not have to live in a mental health hospital just because there are no places for them in the community. We agree that the law should not say that autism or learning disabilities are Autism mental health illnesses. 14