Rightful Lives

Rightful Lives and Stolen Lives (Wales) have given a lot of background input into recent @itvnews investigations about the Article 8 abuse of autistic people and people with learning disabilities, including gagging orders. Today, we have issued this statement because we don’t think @skinnock’s idea of new guidance will change a thing. @DanielHewittITV @IzzyAldersonB. rightfullives.org.uk/campaigns/righ…

The latest truly harrowing report from @GeorgeJulian… georgejulian.co.uk/2026/04/03/ina…

Can’t be doing with this ‘lack of staff’ excuse. It’s commissioners’ duty to sort it out…..and yes it will cost you more.

Today Section 51 of the Mental Health Act 2025 closes a human rights loophole, ensuring that private providers of NHS-funded mental health aftercare have legal duties to respect, protect & fulfil human rights 👇️ Read about BIHR's work on this buff.ly/UDG7Lxl

I was incentivised by the fact that I'd been struggling my entire life without knowing why.

Hi @DHSCgovuk can you tell us when the Easy Read version will be made available please? gov.uk/government/pub…

@thetimes Bit tricky tho with years long waiting lists.

Children and young adults ‘incentivised’ to get ADHD and autism diagnoses #Echobox=1774964208" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">thetimes.com/uk/politics/ar…

@WeCareAboutMH Well there was this…sadly. cambridge.org/core/journals/…

@RightfulLives Disturbing that such a report even needs to be written. Were there people who believed that Long-term Segregation is therapeutic? What is such people's conception of other people?

“LTS is not a therapeutic intervention and is associated with profound psychological harm and human rights violations.” cambridge.org/core/journals/…

@SFAactive Very unhelpful!

@RightfulLives There is unhelpful court case that sets out therapeutic treatment is simply staff observation and structure. Will need to code of practice to make sure that is not the case.

@SFAactive Why not?

@RightfulLives This can't be included into the amended nha code of practice

🧵👇

Why just why @wesstreeting?

This looks fantastic - a festival for films made by or featuring people with learning disabilities or autism. Founded by filmmakers frustrated at having nowhere to show their work in 2004, it runs over six days from Saturday at five venues in Brighton oskabright.org/2026-programme

@LostTransport @wesstreeting @DHSCgovuk @Keir_Starmer @UKLabour This!

@RightfulLives @wesstreeting @DHSCgovuk @Keir_Starmer @UKLabour It's pretty self-defeating on Wes's part We have both a shortage of mental health beds for the general population and an excess of mental health beds for a cohort best suited to live in the community Join the dots Wes!

Re St Andrews (latest) scandal…. @wesstreeting won’t speak out because it involves people with learning disabilities and autistic people who are just not a priority for him @DHSCgovuk, @Keir_Starmer or @UKLabour despite years of considerable human rights abuses for these groups. You have to wonder what it will take for them to do something. FYI the reviews and reports are already done, Wes, you just have to act.

learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/news/new-exhib…. @LearningDisEng thank you guys for this. What did you all think of the art ? Leo.

Some dusty cobwebs blown away in the Lords earlier with a debate organised by @Paulscriven. Excoriating contributions documented here: hansard.parliament.uk/lords/2026-03-… 1/2

@Rebeccasmt We’ll have a long wait for that!

to ensure those who have fallen far short in their care responsibilities are held to account and this is never allowed to happen again."

Response below from the @DHSCgovuk when asked why no ministers have publicly spoken out following the concerns at St Andrews Healthcare. @MindCharity @_Sarah_Hughes_ says if nearly 300 patients had to be moved from a cancer ward due to care concerns, ministers would speak out

BREAKING NEWS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Melanie Leahy: “Why is the Chief Executive of EPUT Leaving During a Public Inquiry?” I am today aware that Paul Scott is stepping down as Chief Executive of Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT), during the course of the Lampard Public Inquiry into mental health deaths in Essex. This immediately raises a fundamental question: Why is the Chief Executive leaving at this point, while a statutory public inquiry into deaths at the Trust is ongoing? Mr Scott has held this role since 2020 — a period during which families have continued to fight for answers about the deaths of our loved ones, and the failures in care, safety, and oversight that surrounded them. For families, this is not a routine leadership change. The timing matters. The public deserve to understand: • Whether this departure is connected in any way to the matters being examined by the Inquiry • What knowledge, decisions, and oversight sit with those now leaving their roles • And whether full accountability will still be possible Families have waited years for the truth. That truth cannot leave with individuals. If those in positions of responsibility step aside during an Inquiry, then it is essential that: • Their actions are still fully examined • Their evidence is still properly tested • And their accountability is not lost This must not become another moment where those responsible move on without answers being given. I will continue to engage fully with the Lampard Inquiry to ensure that Matthew’s voice — and the voices of all those who died — are heard, and that the truth is not avoided. Melanie Leahy Mother of Matthew Leahy #matthewscampaign