Summary
Dive into the powerful story of Paula McGowan, whose teenage son Oliver died after receiving antipsychotic medications due to medical professionals’ lack of autism understanding. Oliver was a promising athlete who played football for England and was training to be a Paralympian, but his life was cut short when doctors used a ‘chemical cosh’ instead of making reasonable adjustments for his autism, cerebral palsy, and seizures. Paula’s relentless campaigning has resulted in a 60,000-signature petition and a parliamentary debate calling for mandatory autism and learning disability training for all healthcare professionals. Joined by Dan Scorer from Mencap, this compelling discussion reveals how over 1,000 people with learning disabilities die avoidably each year in the UK, and explores the urgent need for systemic change in healthcare to prevent future tragedies like Oliver’s.