Modifications within the regulation alone won’t finish the “human rights scandal” of autistic individuals being held in psychological well being hospitals for years.
That’s the warning from the Nationwide Autistic Society (NAS) because the UK Authorities guarantees key reforms by way of its new Psychological Well being Invoice.
Scandal: greater than 2,000 autistic and studying disabled individuals are nonetheless held in long-term psychological well being hospitals
The NAS insists the Invoice now going by way of Parliament may stop autistic individuals from being detained in hospitals purely due to their autism.
Classed as a psychological well being situation
Underneath present legal guidelines, autism is classed as a psychological well being situation. This implies it may be used as a purpose to detain somebody in hospital.
The NAS says the brand new Invoice removes the outline of autism as a psychological well being situation.
The most recent NHS figures present there are 2,040 autistic and learning-disabled individuals in psychological well being hospitals.
‘Human rights scandal’
The typical size of keep in these hospitals is round 5 years. Whereas there, sufferers are very susceptible to being over-medicated, restrained and put in solitary confinement, says the NAS.
The charity says it is a “human rights scandal”.
It maintains that funding in group companies should go hand-in-hand with the Authorities’s deliberate authorized reforms.
Investing in help
Tim Nicholls is the NAS’s assistant director of coverage.
He stated: “Altering the regulation is simply a part of what’s wanted.
“With out investing in ensuring that the correct help is accessible in all places, autistic individuals will nonetheless face this inequality.”
Seeking to the brand new regulation
Well being Secretary Wes Streeting has stated present psychological well being regulation is “massively outdated, depriving individuals of their liberty, particularly autistic individuals and folks with a studying incapacity”.
The Division of Well being and Social Care says the brand new regulation will restrict the time somebody with autism or a studying incapacity might be detained if they don’t have a co-occurring psychological well being situation and haven’t dedicated against the law.
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Revealed: 13 January 2025
