NHS to shut many residential hospitals for people with learning disabilities

NHS to shut many residential hospitals for people with learning disabilities

Health chiefs seek to address failure of previous moves to stop people being placed in hospitals rather than helped to live in community.

The NHS is to shut many of the 58 hospital units in England where people with learning disabilities are still being sent to live despite ministers’ demands that the practice should end in the wake of the Winterbourne View abuse scandal.

Health chiefs intend also to force closure or reform of up to 49 private hospitals that provide long-term accommodation for people with learning disabilities or autism whose behaviour is considered challenging. One company has already been refused a licence to operate. Guardian

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