Years ago I worked as a waitress in a Beefeater restaurant. Not a great experience but one of many not great working experiences. The manager was a complete arsewipe. Arrogant and bullying.  And he marched around with an enormous set of keys jangling from his belt.

I was always struck by his keys. He couldn’t possibly need to unlock so many locked things.  And they were menacing. Even though I thought he was a tosspot.

This evening I was sent a copy of a review of the unit LB was in, conducted in November/December 2012. This review is, as anyone following this foul and harrowing tale of inhumanity, a depressing and telling read. Shining more light on the beyond inexcusably shameful practices inflicted on learning disabled people in the UK. It includes the statement ‘The jangling of keys was commented on by several people’.

Deep, deep breath. That several people commented on the key jangling fills me with horror. A nasty, bullying, hideous action. And in this context, behind locked doors. Powerlessness.

How much horror happens in learning disability provision? [Howl]

It’s too late to say much about this ‘report’ right now. I’ll just present a taster.

I just want to reiterate what I tweeted earlier with the luxury of more words.

• Can health or social care professionals working with learning disabled people think about what they allow to pass as acceptable ‘care’?
• Can relevant organisations (providers, commissioners, local authorities) stop batting the responsibility ball back and forth, apparently carelessly, and simply do something?
  

• Can anyone – author, colleague, administrator, committee member, trustee, observer, partner, friend, whoever – who sees a report which reports inhumane practice just say so?

Reading this report, I wouldn’t take Chunky Stan or Bess anywhere near STATT.

Heartbreaking.