CQC is unquestionably right to reach its damning verdict around the stalling progress of Transforming Care. As a provider at the ‘sharp end’ of supporting people out of Assessment and Treatment Units, we see far too few people being discharged.
And whilst the statistics show a considerable decline in the number of people with learning disabilities in ATUs, they also reveal a significant increase in the number of young, autistic people under lock and key. People being badly failed by the system.
So, what can Dimensions, as just one provider, contribute?
First, we’d like to reshare our best practice guide for people involved in supporting individuals out of units like these. It isn’t a new publication, but the advice remains as helpful as ever. Feel free to read and reshare.
Second, and timed for release in Autism Acceptance Week next week, we will be sharing ten policy points shaped by a range of internal and external experts – including experts by experience – during Dimensions’ first ‘Autism Summit.’ Taken together, we believe these policy points can be transformative for Transforming Care. We’ve shared them below, as a sneak peek.
Finally, we’re looking forward to acting as the secretariat for a prospective new APPG on Inappropriate Institutional Care and to that end would welcome a range of views from others on how to tackle the issues. Today’s CQC report will certainly be essential reading for members.
Policy recommendations
- Fix the numerous perverse financial disincentives to discharge, for example the settings of the dowry system, through a full review of the financial structures associated with transforming care. Money should never be a reason for keeping a person locked up.
- No ATU should be able to score better than inadequate in a CQC inspection if more than (x) patients are missing an in-date CTR.
- No ATU should be able to score better than inadequate in a CQC inspection if more than (x) in an inspected sample are considered to fail quality parameters.
- Every CTR to identify locally present organisations with experience of supporting people out of ATUs.
- An outright ban on for-profit organisations running ATUs.
- Strengthen family information networks through funding independent advocacy groups.
- Increase funding to the Disabled Facilities Grant, extending maximum funding beyond the current £30k limit for people in exceptional situations – and commit to this in the long term.
- Commit funds to specialist housing development in line with forecast long term demand
- Require a proportion of ‘social housing’ in mainstream developments to include restricted funding for alterations to meet individual accessibility requirements
- Fund social care in line with the Local Government Association’s (or similar) assessment of need.