This week, the government announced it's new 'Building the Right Support Action Plan' to help disabled people and those with autism, supporting them to live independently and improving the quality of their lives. It brings together in one place commitments from across government and public services to ensure there is suitable community support available for people with a learning disability and autistic people.
Richard Fuller MP said:
For too long, autistic people and people with a learning disability have remained as inpatients in mental health units – not necessarily because it was the best place, but because of failings in the system and a lack of community facilities to support them.
The government will therefore make sure that people are treated with dignity and respect, experience personalised care and treatment, and can live an independent life in their own home as part of their community.
We are speeding up discharges with funding of over £90 million – providing key workers for young people with complex needs and £21 million Community Discharge Grants for local authorities.
The government is also reforming the Mental Health Act and providing specialist training for health and care staff.
Measures brought together in the action plan include:
- speeding up discharges for people with a learning disability and autistic people supported by additional targeted funding of more than £90 million in 2022 to 2023 including:
- a £40 million investment from the NHS Long Term Plan to continue to improve the capacity and capability of crisis support for autistic people and people with a learning disability in every area of the country, and £30 million of funding to continue putting key workers in place for children and young people with the most complex needs
- a £21 million Community Discharge Grant to local authorities, which will help people with a learning disability and autistic people to be discharged
- limiting the scope under which people with a learning disability and autistic people can be detained by reforming the Mental Health Act to improve how people are treated in law
- building on specialist training for health and care staff to ensure they have the skills to better care for people with a learning disability and autistic people
The plan focuses on keeping people safe now, and also delivering long-term change for people with a learning disability and autistic people. It aims to ensure people:
- are treated with dignity and respect
- experience personalised care and treatment
- can live an ordinary, independent life in their own home as part of the community
