Written question WQ97569

Since 2022, the Welsh Government has been collecting information about the number of adults with a learning disability receiving long-term care in a specialist learning disability or mental health inpatient facility.

The latest available data, from the audit on 8 July 2025, shows 137 people with a learning disability were being cared for long-term in a hospital setting. Of these, 42 (30%) were described as resident in a continuous care environment.

We do not hold data about the number of people with autism or disabilities in long-term hospital settings.

We are committed to the principle that a hospital bed is not a home and wherever it is practical to do so, people should be cared for in the community, at home, or as close to home as possible.

I have set health boards and local authorities the target of improving discharge planning arrangements so people with learning disabilities are supported to leave hospital and return to a community setting sooner.

The Learning Disability Ministerial Advisory Group’s task and finish group is due to submit a report and recommendations about this important issue, which will inform our long-term plans to reduce the number of people with a learning disability who are being cared for long-term in a hospital setting.