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Charles lived 50 years in a hospital for being "challenging". And he's not the only one
In Scotland this happens to many service users with "learning difficulties".
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A 62-year-old Scottish man with epilepsy and learning difficulties has spent more than 50 years living in hospital despite having no major health conditions.
Charles Esler told the BBC he felt sad about the situation and did not like being "locked up" in hospital.
His sister Margo said she had fought for years to get him moved to a supported living placement - something that finally happened last year, almost five decades after he was first admitted on the advice of a doctor.
Richmond Fellowship Scotland said that despite the family having campaigned "for many years to find a suitable placement" for Charles, "sadly there are still people like him who get stuck in the system".
A BBC investigation has found that hundreds of people with learning disabilities are being kept in assessment units in hospitals or living miles from their families in Scotland.
This is despite decades of government policy stating that patients should be moved out of long-stay institutions and into their own homes.
Two and a half years ago the Scottish government pledged that "the vast majority" of these patients would be moved into the community by March 2024. However, figures obtained by the BBC show that the number in assessment units has risen from 173 to 191 since last summer, angering families.
Charles's case shows that people with learning disabilities can live successfully in the community with the right support. "He's blossomed since he moved out, he's grown in confidence, he's much more independent," his sister said.
And Charles's beaming smile says it all. "I can go out and about now. I can go to the pub, I can go for lunch. I like fish and chips," he said, adding that he also enjoys sitting on the sofa watching James Bond films and has been learning to cook, garden and clean his flat.
"It feels good. I've never had this freedom before," he said.
Charles was first admitted to hospital as a child after his parents were advised to do so by doctors because he had "challenging behaviour" and they were "struggling to get his epilepsy medication right".
Although his transition back into the community has been a success, it "wasn't a fairy tale" and did not happen overnight, his sister said. "It took a lot of people and it took about 14 years to get him the right placement," she said, adding: "Everybody should have somebody who makes sure you're not just a number."
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