The treatment of autistic people and people with learning disabilities: Government Response to the Committee’s Fifth Report of Session 2021–22

This is the government's response, published 27 July 2022.

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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