Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, commissioned the report, which calls for the NHS to “act with urgency” to discharge the 3,000 patients who are residing in these hospitals, who have autism or severe mental disabilities who could be back in their community.
It is also implied that there is sometimes a cash intentive to keep such individuals within the hospital setting as their care can cost up to £3,000 a week and therefore calls strongly for an end to this system where cash is used as an intensive to keep these patients in hospital. It also addressed the issue that financial incentives should be introduced to discharge theses patients.
Sir Stephen Bubb, the chief executive of the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations chaired the inquiry that states;
“(it is) not acceptable in the 21st Century for thousands of people to be living in hospitals when with the right support they could be living in the community.”
The Sunday Times article also goes on to add that Michelle Daly, who is founder of the Warrior Mums blog series and book, which tells the stories of parents caring for their children with special needs, told that:
“People with autism are being assessed for psychiatric problems when they don’t have them, and are living in psychiatric hospitals with drug addicts and people with serious mental problems. A lot of parents want their children home or nearby but there aren’t the places in the community”
Autism Daily Newscast have reported on such stories. One being the case of Claire Dyer who is situated a 5 hour hour drive away from her family in Swansea. Leo Martinez’s son, Stephen is also miles away from home in a psychiatric unit at St Andrew’s Hospital. On Sunday after visiting Stephen, Leo tweeted:
“it’s the visit. It just breaks my heart, my son asking to come home. Xx”
The original article by The Sunday Times can be found here