12/07/2025
Something that I want to share with you all is how deeply I have been moved by the vulnerability of so many people in our community people who are struggling just to exist daily, often without much-needed family support, safety, or even a sense of hope. Many rely on the services that are currently available, but these services are stretched far beyond capacity. Sadly, some individuals are falling through the cracks.
Some people will require lifelong support, and for them, recovery may not look like what we typically expect. That doesn't mean they don't deserve dignity, structure, or care, it means we need to think more broadly and compassionately about what long-term support can and should look like.
I often find myself reflecting on the impact of de-institutionalization. While closing our large-scale mental health institutions was intended to uphold human rights and prevent abuse, the system that replaced them hasn't always lived up to those ideals. Not everyone has been better off, especially those with the most complex and enduring needs.
It is important to acknowledge that not all institutional settings were inherently harmful. Some individuals do thrive in environments that offer routine, purpose, social connection, and a sense of safety. Institutions of the past may have failed in many ways, (and for most of you who came on my tours up on The Hill), you would have learnt why this was the case, we’ve also learned from those failures. Today, we have the knowledge and ethics to create supportive, therapeutic environments that protect rights and promote recovery.
Modern models like supported housing, step-up/step-down services, and long-term residential rehabilitation show us that structured, community-based care can offer the safety and belonging that so many people need. It's not about going backwards; it’s about building something better.
Routine, social inclusion, and feeling understood are not luxuries, they are core human needs.
Some individuals have suffered irreversible brain damage due to long-term substance abuse, leading to significant cognitive impairment and a lifelong need for support. For these individuals, traditional models of recovery and independent living are not always realistic or safe. There are not enough detox units or appropriate long-term services available to support them. Modern, well-managed institutional-style settings could provide the safety, structure, and medical oversight they need, far removed from the outdated institutions of the past. These environments would offer stability and dignity, while also being more cost-effective and safer for both individuals and the broader community compared to the current crisis-driven approach.
In such cases, structured, long-term residential care similar to modern, ethically run institutional settings could provide not only stability and dignity for the individual but also greater safety for the wider community. These environments offer routine, supervision, medical oversight, and therapeutic support, which help reduce harm, hospitalisations, and crises that often result in police or emergency service involvement.
Importantly, providing this level of care in a well-resourced, purpose-built setting is often far more cost-effective than the ongoing cycle of homelessness, incarceration, hospital admissions, and reactive crisis intervention. Investing in safe, supportive institutions is not only a compassionate choice it’s a practical and economically responsible one.
