The NHS in England has announced a major drive to take people with learning disabilities and autism out of hospitals and into smaller homes in towns and cities. The decision requires more than adequate funds; it needs the hardest thing of all: a shift in attitudes How do we decide what are the right community services for people with learning disabilities? Some think living within a protected community is best, worrying that independent living, even with support, runs the risk of ­isolating them, whilst others advocate an ­ordinary house in an ordinary street.This complex issue has again been highlighted by a very welcome statement from the chief executive of the NHS that is once more embarking on a hospital closure programme to return people with learning disabilities to their h