Winterbourne View

Debate between Norman Lamb and George Mudie

Monday 10th December 2012 Commons Chamber

[Norman Lamb]

I know that some people from Wales were placed in Winterbourne View. This issue is important and relevant to Wales, Scotland, England and Northern Ireland. I would encourage officials of the devolved Administrations and the United Kingdom Government to liaise closely in order to ensure that the lessons that we are learning here can be applied elsewhere, and that good lessons from Wales and elsewhere can be learned in England.

[Mr George Mudie (Leeds East) (Lab)]

The Minister is a very humane man, and I entirely accept the fine things that are in the report. However, we are ultimately responsible for the proper treatment of vulnerable people, both in hospitals and in care homes, and fine words go only halfway. We have seen people in that sector take advantage of and abuse vulnerable people who cannot speak or fight back.

One of the key points raised by my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester West (Liz Kendall) concerned unannounced inspections, which the Minister seemed to suggest were a matter for local authorities or other public bodies. Can he tell us whether real resources will be put into that part of the operation? Whatever has been signed up to, vulnerable people have been treated so badly that we should be ashamed. If we do not provide resources that will enable us to know that someone independent has the power to enter premises at any time or on any day and inspect the treatment of vulnerable people who are in our care, we cannot be taking this issue seriously.

[Norman Lamb]

Let me respond first to the hon. Gentleman’s observation about fine words by saying that this is just the starting point. It does not do the job; it merely sets out the scale of the ambition that is necessary to address a national scandal. It is good that all parts of the system are signed up to it, because that gives it a better chance of success. I will chair a national programme board that will keep a close watch on what goes on and hold every part of the system to account.

The hon. Gentleman spoke of the horrors of what goes on in some care homes and in hospitals, but we must remember the horror of family members who went to local authorities or the NHS to complain and were ignored. That, in a way, is just as scandalous, and it must be addressed.

I have talked to the chief executive of the Care Quality Commission, David Bearn, who has confirmed that he has enough resources to maintain a programme of unannounced inspections. They will continue; they must continue, and they must include people with learning disabilities and their families. I mentioned the role of HealthWatch earlier. In every local area, its representatives will have the power to go into these places to see for themselves what is going on behind closed doors. That too will introduce a new accountability.

The final point I would make is that we are developing the idea of online quality indicators for every care and health setting, with user reviews so that individuals who have been in those care settings and their families can give their views. That scale of transparency can be transformational in driving up standards.