Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Written Statement of 21 May 2019, Care Quality Commission Thematic Review of Restrictive Practices, Seclusion and Segregation, HCWS 1569, what additional resources his Department plans to allocate to scrutinise cases of exclusion and long term segregation; and what assessment he has made of the timeframe required to review each such case.

On 21 May 2019, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) published its ‘Interim Report: Review of restraint, prolonged seclusion and segregation for people with a mental health problem, a learning disability and or autism.’ The Government has accepted all five of the recommendations in the CQC’s interim report including the recommendation that over the next 12 months, there should be an independent and an in-depth review of the care provided to, and the discharge plan for, each person who is in segregation on a ward for children and young people or on a ward for people with a learning disability and/or autism.

The Department is committed to working with partners across the health, education and care system to ensure that all of the recommendations are implemented effectively.

We will ensure the care of each and every person detained in seclusion or long term segregation is thoroughly scrutinised. The timeframe required to review each case will be case-specific but each review will be conducted efficiently. We are working with the CQC, NHS England and other partner organisations on the arrangements for the reviews and their oversight and will publish further details shortly.