Repeated scandals exposed cruelty, neglect and cover-up.
Inquiry after inquiry found the same pattern.
The UK had long-stay hospitals and institutions for people labelled mentally subnormal, mentally ill or disabled.
Many people spent years or entire lives in places that offered containment more than life.
Inquiries into places such as Ely Hospital, Farleigh, Normansfield and South Ockendon exposed neglect, cruelty, poor conditions and institutional cultures that protected systems rather than residents.
These were not one-off failures. The same patterns appeared again and again.
This history matters because it explains distrust. Families did not become suspicious of systems for no reason.
Trust has to be earned by transparency, accountability and human treatment.