Tim Nicholls, Head of Influencing and Research at the National Autistic Society, said: “The appalling failures in care shown in Channel 4’s Dispatches - Locked Away: Our Autism Scandal are unbelievably distressing. This harrowing documentary is the latest in too many examples of autistic people being locked away in seclusion and subjected to abuse in mental health hospitals. This scandal must end. 

“Autism is not a mental health condition and mental health hospitals are not the right place for the vast majority of autistic people. But some spend months or even years in hospitals, far from their families, and we continue to hear deeply concerning reports of abuse and inappropriate restraint and seclusion, as shown in this documentary.  

“NHS data released in February highlights the urgency of the situation, with 1,290 autistic people in mental health hospitals in England. This is an increase from 2015 when autistic people made up 38% of the number in hospital – now it is 63%. This is unacceptable.  

“Government must reform mental health law as soon as possible, and provide urgent and meaningful funding for the social care system, so that autistic people get the support they need to avoid hospital in the first place. But for anyone in hospital, anything other than compassionate and highly skilled care is completely unacceptable.”