Half of learning disability services do not meet minimum standards of care

Half of all care homes and treatment centres in England that care for vulnerable adults do not provide services that meet minimum standards, an inspection by the health regulator the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has found.1

The Department of Health asked the commission to undertake a series of unannounced inspections of services for people with learning disabilities or autism and challenging behaviour as part of a wide review of how the health and care system supports this group of people. The review was prompted by a BBC Panorama documentary that filmed verbal and physical abuse of residents at the Winterbourne View home near Bristol.2 A subsequent CQC investigation found that staff at Winterbourne View were too ready to use restraint and that 10 essential …