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Action plan for patient 'crisis' Action plan for patient 'crisis'
(about 2 hours later)
No child with a learning disability will be living in hospital in two years' time.No child with a learning disability will be living in hospital in two years' time.
That is the key pledge in an action plan that the health minister Paul Goggins is expected to announce later. That is the key pledge in a £3m action plan announced by the health minister, Paul Goggins on Tuesday.
Two weeks ago, a BBC investigation disclosed that more than 100 adults and 17 children with learning disabilities were living in hospital unneccesarily. A recent BBC investigation disclosed that more than 100 adults and 17 children with learning disabilities were living in hospital unneccesarily.
The Department of Health promised to look into the situation at Muckamore Abbey hospital in Antrim. The plan states that by March 2009, no child, and by March 2014, no adult with such disabilities would be in hospital.
The BBC found people with severe learning disabilities were being kept in hospital as there was no money to care for them in the community. The BBC looked at the situation at Muckamore Abbey hospital in Antrim.
It found people with severe learning disabilities were being kept in hospital as there was no money to care for them in the community.
One man remained in the unit 10 years after his treatment ended.One man remained in the unit 10 years after his treatment ended.
The Department of Health said the current situation was "unacceptable" and they would be looking into it. On Tuesday, Mr Goggins said that 40 people a year should be resettled from hospital back into the community.
"At the moment, about 25 patients a year are being settled back in community.
"We are going to accelerate that programme so that we get that up to 40 people a year," the health minister said.
He added that action was beginning immediately, with four young people being placed back in the community.
The BBC learned that more than 100 adults with learning disabilities had had their discharge from hospital delayed for an average of three and a half years.The BBC learned that more than 100 adults with learning disabilities had had their discharge from hospital delayed for an average of three and a half years.