Mencap appalled at verdict to send young woman with a learning disability to unit 5 hours from her home
Claire Dyer is 20-years-old, lives in Swansea, and has autism and a learning disability. Her parents have been fighting Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board's decision to transfer their daughter to a specialist unit in Brighton, five hours away from her home.
Claire was due to be transferred to Brighton on Wednesday this week, but her family obtained an injunction on Tuesday. The High Court hearing took place today.
According to the BBC*, the Court upheld the health board's decision to move Claire from the Swansea unit she has lived in since April 2012 to a unit in Brighton. The BBC are reporting that it has gone against Claire's wishes to remain near her family.
Speaking on today's verdict, Wayne Crocker, Director of Mencap Cymru, said:
Mencap is appalled by the decision today to allow Abertawe Bro Morgannwg health board to send Claire Dyer to an assessment and treatment unit many hundreds of miles away from the family that loves and supports her.
After all we have learnt from the scandal of abuse uncovered at Winterbourne View three years ago, it is clear that vulnerable people like Claire should not be forced to move hundreds of miles from their families, and should receive the care and support they need in their community.
We want to see an end to the unacceptable culture of long-term placements in inpatient units, often hundreds of miles away from their homes, where people are at significant risk of abuse and neglect. This can cause huge distress, and there is no doubt that this is the case for Claire and her family.
Governments – whether in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland – must be committed to providing quality support and services for people like Claire in their local community.
Claire's family have started a Change.org petition – "Keep Claire, who has autism and challenging behaviour, in Wales to be close to us, her family": http://goo.gl/JUrf1q.
For more information, please contact the Mencap press office on 020 7696 5414 or media@mencap.org.uk.
* BBC News: www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-28611500
About Mencap Cymru
Mencap Cymru campaigns and lobbies to ensure that people with a learning disability and their families are valued equally, listened to and respected across all parts of Welsh society.
Mencap also provides services to support people with a learning disability to live independent lives. These services include training and support to find employment, domiciliary services and short-term breaks for parents and carers. To find out more, visit: www.mencap.org.uk/wales.
Mencap Cymru operates a free Wales Learning Disability Helpline funded by the Welsh Government to offer impartial information and advice, on 0808 808 1111 or via helpline.wales@mencap.org.uk.