Social care
Family of autistic man plan legal challenge over care conditions
Mother says her 24-year-old son’s care at a hospital in Cheshire is ‘worse than being in prison’
Campaigners are calling for greater efforts to provide care in the community for people with severe learning disabilities. Photograph: AA Pix/Alamy
Campaigners are calling for greater efforts to provide care in the community for people with severe learning disabilities. Photograph: AA Pix/Alamy
Robert Booth Social affairs correspondent
Sun 2 Jan 2022 11.54 EST
Last modified on Mon 3 Jan 2022 00.12 EST
The family of an autistic man confined to an apartment and fed through a hatch are planning a legal challenge against his conditions, in a case that will increase pressure on the government to end the practice of keeping people with severe learning disabilities in “modern-day asylums”.
Nicola, whose 24-year-old son has been detained under the Mental Health Act since September 2017 at Cheadle Royal hospital in Cheshire, said his care is “worse than being in prison” and “people wouldn’t treat an animal” as badly.
She has appointed lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to explore a legal challenge to his circumstances which include constant monitoring by CCTV and outdoor access into [...]