Review of Learning Disability Services

The BBC's Panorama programme (Tuesday 31 May) highlighted serious abuse and appalling standards of care at Winterbourne View, a private hospital for people with learning disabilities. Winterbourne View, the hospital featured in the recent Panorama programme, has closed. New accommodation has been found for all the hospital’s patients, here is an update. You can also see our response and procedure on how to share you concerns and complaints




CQC is to undertake a programme of unannounced inspections of services for people with learning disabilities. We will inspect 150 services for people with learning disabilities which are similar to Winterbourne View. Then we will look at a sample of other registered services covering alternative models of provision for people with learning disabilities. Inspections will focus on:

• Care and welfare of service users
• Safeguarding service users from abuse

We will use our compliance inspectors with the support of an expert by experience and a professional advisor on each inspection. All inspections will be unannounced. If we find major or immediate concerns, we will take swift regulatory action. We will publish a report on each location visited as well as an overall national report.

An advisory group chaired by CQC Chair Jo Williams and including representatives from voluntary, charitable and other stakeholder organisations will form an independent panel to provide expert advice and commentary on the inspection programme.

"If your LINk has information about services for people with a learning disability, particularly in private hospitals or other residential settings, we hope you will share it with us. It may help us in our inspection programme."

Source: BBC