02.07.14
Practical help for HWBs to tackle issues raised by Winterbourne View scandal
Health and wellbeing boards (HWBs) have a new set of resources to help them improve care to avoid scandals like Winterbourne View, where vulnerable people were abused and mistreated by staff.
Care minister Norman Lamb said what happened there made him feel “shock, anger, dismay and deep regret”, and at the end of 2012 the Department of Health promised a joint plan to ensure quality care for all people with learning disabilities by April 2014.
The new resource launched today by the NHS Confederation with the Local Government Association (LGA), NHS England, Regional Voices, and grant-funded by the Department of Health, is aimed at ensuring HWBs proactively create personalised, local community-based support for individuals and their families.
Rob Webster, NHS Confederation chief executive, said: “What happened at Winterbourne View tells us that we must always safeguard the most vulnerable people in society against wilful abuse, as well as unconscious neglect. This is a given. What we must also do is have the highest aspirations for people with a learning disability, based on improved outcomes and improving care. This practical resource pack will help HWBs use their unique position to ensure this is the case. I would urge all HWBs to consider this report because, if we get things right for people with a learning disability, we will be able to get them right for everyone.”
An NHS Confed spokesperson said: “Among the practical ideas included in the resource is a series of questions for HWB members to consider, which cover discharge plans for all vulnerable individuals; the scale of local and out-of-area hospital placements for vulnerable people; the effectiveness of local partnership working to meet the needs of vulnerable people, now and in the future; and the presence of strong, suitable safeguarding processes and procedures which are used appropriately.”
The documents also gives advice on other resources available to HWBs, and includes pointers on how HWBs can encourage change in local commissioning behaviour, support engagement with individuals, their families, carers and advocates, and drive forward integrated working across the whole local health and care system.
(Photo: Tim Ireland / PA Wire)
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