Alex McClimens and colleagues present an account, based on interviews with relatives, of poor services received by a person with learning disabilities

Families of people with learning disabilities report frequently that their relatives receive poor care when they attend hospitals as inpatients. Sometimes their attendances have fatal consequences.

Despite official acknowledgement of this situation, there is growing evidence to suggest that it is not improving and may even be worsening. This article, which is based on interviews with two close relatives, presents a case study of a man with learning disabilities who received poor care in hospital.

The article concludes that current provision of care for people with learning disabilities is inadequate, and that hospital staff need more training and education in this area. As the number of people with learning disabilities in secondary care grows, the need to ensure equity of care for all population groups becomes more urgent.