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Star rating: 3/5.

St Luke’s Hospital Group
ISBN 0954644549
£9.99

The introduction by the chief executive officer, medical and clinical directors of St Luke’s to these essays concludes: "It is abundantly clear that the decision to close the long-stay institutions had the unforeseen consequence of leaving a shortfall in specialist provision, and it is now time to address this." That may be true but despite its arresting title this book does not get us very far, writes James Churchill.

It is an interesting collection of essays - historical, personal, legal and philosophical - about the current post-Valuing People policy flux. A parent of two autistic sons and a survivor of mental health services give their individual take on where services for the future should be headed. Lord Rix muses on the issue of quality. Genevra Richardson concludes that using compulsory powers outside hospitals is acceptable - with conditions attached. Gregory O’Brien ponders the future of specialist mental health services for people with learning disabilities, rejecting a return to long-stay hospital care but allowing that specialist facilities will still be needed. The book is not "Essays about low secure hospitals in the field of learning disabilities" (as stated on the cover) but it is still a thought-provoking mix of views.

James Churchill is chief executive of the Association of Residential Care.