By Mencap
Important announcement 
Right now, almost 2000 people with a
learning disability
A learning disability is to do with the way someone's brain works. It makes it harder for someone to learn, understand or do things.
and
autism
Autism is a disability. Autistic people find it difficult to understand what other people think and feel. They also find it difficult to tell people what they think and feel. Everyone with autism is different.
are locked away in inpatient units. Mencap and partners have been campaigning to stop the inappropriate detention of people with a learning disability in inpatient units and ensure the right
community
A community is the people and places in an area.
support is developed. Currently people with a learning disability can be detained in inpatient units under the Mental Health Act for displaying behaviour that challenges and not because they have a ‘mental health’ problem. In June,
the government
The Government are the people who run the country. The Government decide how much tax people should pay and how things like the National Health Service (NHS) should work.
released a new draft mental health bill which could help many of those people when it gets passed into
law
Laws are the rules that everyone in the country has to follow. If you don't follow the rules you can get in trouble with the police.
.
At the time of publication, former Home Secretary Sajid Javid said;
“Too many autistic people and people with a learning disability are admitted into institutional settings when they will be better served in the community.
“This Bill will change that. It limits the scope to detain people with learning disabilities and autistic people for treatment unless they have a mental illness that justifies a longer stay or if they are admitted through the criminal justice system.”
Mencap CEO, Edel Harris had this to say;
“Current safeguards under the Mental Health Act are not working, given that almost 2,000 people with a learning disability and autism currently locked away in inpatient units, with most detained under the Mental Health Act. Often this is due to a lack of the right support in the community, not because they need inpatient mental health treatment. Mental Health Act reform is a key part of tackling the inappropriate detention of people with a learning disability and autism and building the community support that is desperately needed.
We look forward to being part of the conversation around this bill to ensure it delivers the change needed.”
Changes to the mental health act are an important step, but we still have much campaigning left to do with people with a learning disability and families and other partners, including:
-to make sure the Mental Health Bill is strong enough to deliver the change needed for people with a learning disability and/or autism.
- to make sure the Government’s upcoming Action plan for Homes not hospitals delivers on the Government’s promise to ensure people with a learning disability and/or autism get the right support in the community and are not inappropriately detained in inpatient units. The Government has committed in the NHS long term plan to close 50% of inpatient beds for people with a learning disability and/or autism by 2024. The Action plan must ensure this happens.
Here's the link to the draft mental health bill: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/draft-mental-health-bill-2022
If you’d like to campaign with Mencap, then sign up here: https://secure.mencap.org.uk/en-gb/pledge-be-everyday-activist-mencap
Transforming Care
We want the government, NHS and local authorities to work together to provide the right support for people with a learning disability in their local communities, not in institutions.