Some people with learning disabilities and complex needs have been in a hospital setting for more than 25 years, a new report has found.
The Mental Welfare Commission looked at the circumstances of 55 people in Scotland who had been in a learning disability or mental health hospital for more than 10 years.
It found on average, those reviewed were staying for too long – 18 years and two months on average – while ten people had been in hospital for more than 25 years.
The commission reviewed the hospital-based care records of 18 people and spoke to 10 family members. In five cases, there were no family members actively involved.
It said it was well documented that people who remain in long-term hospital placements suffer adverse effects, such as the loss of independent living skills. This can leave them struggling to cope outside of an institutionalised setting.
While evidence of some good discharge practices in place, the report found there was sometimes reluctance amid concerns regarding the capacity of community care resources to safeguard people and meet their needs.
“After so many years in institutionalised care and some believing ‘there is no need to leave hospital,’ progressing alternatives to hospital is a challenge in some areas,” the report concluded.
The report, titled ‘Hospital is not home’, looked at people who were on the Dynamic Support Register, which was launched in May 2023 to ensure people only stay in hospital for as long as they need assessment and treatment.
“We found that the implementation of the Dynamic Support Register has yet to ensure the right to live independently and the right to be included in the community for a small but significant group of people on that register,” said Julie Paterson, chief executive of the Mental Welfare Commission.
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“We also found that there may be people who are in hospital for long periods of time and who are not on any lists or register and are not subject to any legal safeguards. We want to ensure that they are not hidden nor forgotten.”
‘Unacceptable’
The Equality and Human Rights Commission said it is “deeply concerned” at the findings.
“Proper compliance with the equality legal framework is critical in all health and social care settings, to ensure people have the support they need to make decisions about their care and independent living,” it said.
Meanwhile, mental wellbeing minister Maree Todd said discharge planning should begin at the point of admission.
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“It is completely unacceptable that people are spending time in hospitals or other care settings when they are medically fit for discharge,” she said.
“For every day spent unnecessarily in hospital, a person loses part of their connection with their community, their family, and their friends.”
