“It can still happen here”: institutionalised abuse of people with learning disabilities

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Hannah Morgan reflects on a literature review of empirical evidence and wider social research, which seeks to place the abuse of people with learning disabilities in a broader cultural context.

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Psychotropic medications: scale and patterns of prescribing to people with learning disabilities

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In this blog, John Northfield considers a study of rates and patterns of prescribing psychotropic medications by GPs to people with learning disabilities and/or autism.

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Reducing specialist inpatient beds for people with learning disabilities: some issues explored

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Transforming Care, the government’s response to WInterbourne view, set some clear targets for the development of community services and the reduction on specialist inpatient bed numbers.

Here Alix Dixon looks at a paper, which used some illustrative case examples to explore some of the policy and practice issues around these targets.

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Learning Disabilities Elf review of 2014

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As the year draws to a close and we elves gear up for some seasonal duties, we take a look at some of the blogs we have published throughout 2014 and welcome some of our new bloggers.

Also, we will be looking for new contributors in 2015, so look out for more news of that in the new year.

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Irish Minister suggests use of undercover video as part of inspections to combat abuse in residential services for people with learning disabilities

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In the week following the publication of the Bubb report after the appalling scenes uncovered at Winterbourne View, a team in Ireland uncover similar abuses in a care centre in Mayo. Here we look at what they found and the initial response of the authorities there.

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New charter of rights and mandatory commissioning framework recommended by Bubb Report

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The Bubb report has now been published. It recommends a new commissioning framework for services provided for people with learning disabilities and/or autism who are currently in inappropriate hospital units.

Here we take a look at the recommendations and ask if it is enough to bring about the change that is so clearly needed.

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Equipping family carers with better information about in-patient assessment and treatment for people with learning disabilities

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We know that access to accurate information is crucial if people are to make good decisions about the support they get from services. If someone with a learning disability is admitted to a hospital unit for assessment or treatment for a mental health issue or in response to behaviour that is challenging support services, this can be a particularly difficult and confusing time for all concerned.

In her debut blog, Alison Giraud-Saunders, along with co-author Angela Cole, describes a booklet that she co-authored with the involvement of family members which has lots of key information on the law and people’s rights.

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National event for people with learning disabilities provides clear proposals for inclusion and development

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Earlier this year, a national event organised by and for people with learning disabilities looked at the closure of long stay institutions. Here we reflect on the proceedings and the positive and constructive proposals that emerged.

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Census analysis shows numbers of people with learning disabilities in in-patient beds falling from 2010-13

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Following the uncovering of abuse at Winterbourne View by the BBC’s Panorama team, the Government committed to a programme of action to address what were recognised as system wide failures in the care and support of adults with learning disabilities described as having complex challenging behaviours. (Transforming Care) The Transforming Care document set out a [read the full story…]