Our Response to the EHRC Letter of November 5th
Rebecca Hilsenrath
CEO
Equality and Human Rights Commission
Arndale House
The Arndale Centre
Manchester
M4 3AQ
12th November 2018
Dear Rebecca,
Many thanks for your prompt response to our letter. Since writing to you we have had many more organisations and affected individuals sign the letter http://rightfullives.net/Stories/EHRC-letter.html and we now have 62 organisations and 288 individuals who support this call to action. Since our letter more incidences have emerged on social media and in the press of individuals in these hospitals that should not be there and/or are experiencing segregation, restraint and abuse. Please see the latest investigation carried out by the Mail on Sunday which details the extraordinary profit that is being made from our loved ones https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6375895/Parents-slam-health-fat-cats-getting-730-000-annually-autistic-child-lock-up.html and this report from Rightful lives that analyses how money is spent on Assessment and Treatment Units. http://rightfullives.azurewebsites.net/Stories/The-Factory.html
We would like to point out that since the scandal at Winterbourne View in 2011, there has been countless plans, strategies and reviews by all the bodies responsible for ‘Transforming Care’. These have amounted to very little change. Therefore we are concerned about yet more reports and reviews that do the same. We implore you to take the strongest action possible to stop the harm and human rights abuses of our loved ones. There are many of us as individuals who have experienced this system, families and supporters who will help if you take action to put an end to this once and for all.
Yours sincerely,
Julie Newcombe
On behalf of Rightful Lives julienewcombe@rightfullives.net
We would receive a further informal communication from the EHRC on December 12th 2018.