Autism and learning difficulties: MP urges closure of long-term units

Cawston Park, pictured in 2007, had been in special measures since 2019

An MP wants the government to recommit to closing all long-term residential treatment units for adults with autism or learning difficulties.

Tory MP for Broadland in Norfolk, Jerome Mayhew, said families and patients "deserved better" following three deaths at one unit in the county.

The government previously said all such centres should close by 2014 following abuse at a hospital near Bristol.

The government said it was investing £90m in community care this year.

The three people Mr Mayhew referred to died at Cawston Park hospital, near Aylsham, between 2018 and 2020.

Ben King lived at Cawston Park for two years prior to his death having lived with his mother for the rest of his life

He said the failures at Cawston Park, identified in a Norfolk Safeguarding Adults Board report, meant it had "contributed at the very least to the death of three patients in their 30s in their care and who deserved better".

Cawston Park closed in May after "consistent failures in meeting standards" were identified by the Care Quality Commission health watchdog.

The Conservative/Liberal Democrat government said in 2012 that it was looking into the issue of residential care after the convictions for abuse by staff at Winterbourne View near Bristol, which was initially uncovered by BBC Panorama.

It is estimated some 2,000 residential centres remain open across the country.

The units were meant for short-term treatment, but patients were being held for an average of more than five and a half years, according to Mencap and the Challenging Behaviour Foundation.

"I want the government to recommit to closing these units as soon as possible because, as the report makes clear, these are just not suitable environments," said Mr Mayhew.

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The Conservative MP, who has secured an adjournment debate to discuss the matter in Parliament on Tuesday, also hoped to raise the issue of culpability following any patient deaths.

He said at present police have to prove both gross negligence and corporate manslaughter.

Mr Mayhew said there had been only one successful prosecution since the introduction of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015.

"We need to look at individual responsibility if we're serious about changing culture," he said.

"We're 10 years down from Winterbourne View, [where we said] 'isn't it awful, it should never happen again'. Then we have Cawston Park.

"I'm interested in not coming back in 10 years time and saying 'isn't this awful, it must never happen again'."

A Department for Health and Social Care spokesman said: "People should only be cared for in a hospital when it is absolutely necessary, and we are investing over £90m this year so that more people with autism and learning disabilities have the support they need in the community."

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