Madam, – While agreeing with Deirdre Carroll (Opinion, June 10th) that institutional care does not belong to another era, with an estimated 4,000 people with disabilities currently residing in institutions (more than 10 people living together), surely the logical response is to close the institutions rather than seeking to regulate them?
Community-based support is now accepted as best practise in service provision across the disability spectrum including for those who are considered most vulnerable. It is also more cost effective. Writing in your paper recently the Inspector of Mental Health Services made the point that periods of economic downturn provide opportunities to “redeploy existing resources in more creative ways.” One such “way” is to ensure that funding follows the service user rather that the service provider. Direct payments allow people with disabilities to contract with their service provider of choice and create an environment which encourages new models of support to emerge. Choosing where we live and with whom we live is a human right as set out in Article 19 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
If we can be creative around redirecting existing resources towards community and independent living, the institutions will close themselves. – Yours, etc,