Accessible Information Standard: Action to update the standard

Healthwatch has written an open letter to NHS England to improve the Accessible Information Standard (AIS). 

You can read the letter here 

This has been signed by eight other members of the Your Care, Your Way campaign, including Learning Disability England. 

The Your Care, Your Way campaign is trying to help make sure people are receiving healthcare in the way they understand. 

All providers of NHS care or other publicly-funded adult social care must meet the Accessible Information Standard (AIS).

Read more  “Accessible Information Standard: Action to update the standard”

We all want to live a good life – just the ‘gloriously ordinary’ kind 

We looked at the map of fees paid to support providers that the Association For Real Change (ARC England) Learning Disability Research Unit has shared.

It shows that most Councils are not paying as much as it costs to run the services.

You can see the map here.

As member reps at Learning Disability England our 1st reaction was fear.

We are scared what the reality of his map means for people who draw on support and their families.

We hear stories of people struggling, becoming unwell and crisis.  

Read more  “We all want to live a good life – just the ‘gloriously ordinary’ kind “

Shared visions for ‘Human Flourishing, ‘a gloriously ordinary life’ and everyone living their ‘Good Lives’

“We have all the evidence and many of the steps we need – lets work together for all our ‘Good Lives’.

We welcome the Reimagining Care Commission report and the principles of trust, empathy, inclusion and human flourishing. The inquiry report calls for a ‘fundamental and comprehensive redesign of care and support’ that includes those principles.

For many people with learning disabilities and their families there are extra barriers to them living their Good Lives but the 3 actions the inquiry suggests including rethinking attitudes would go a long way to the shared vision of flourishing, gloriously ordinary or Good Lives.”

Representative body members Scott Watkin and Kate Chate

In December 2022 we saw ‘a gloriously ordinary life’ report from the House of Lords Adult Social Care Committee.

On the 24th January 2023 the Reimaging care report was published.

Easy read version

The reports talk about some of the core changes that we want to see happen in adult social care and how we get there.

Both say that adult social care is a service that should and can enable people to live Good Lives.

Read more about what people told us is needed to live Good Lives

The right support has great value.

Read more  “Shared visions for ‘Human Flourishing, ‘a gloriously ordinary life’ and everyone living their ‘Good Lives’”

Making plans if there are power cuts this winter

Blog image

Blog from Emma Smith, Policy Lead at Learning Disability England.

It is really important to look after yourself and others this winter.

Some people are worried about energy.

Not just about how much it costs but also what to do if there is a shortage or no power at all.  

Energy providers want to make people aware that is very unlikely that will be power cuts this winter.

But they are also giving the public information on what they can do, just in case.  

Read more  “Making plans if there are power cuts this winter”

Protecting Our Human Rights

Blog from Gary Bourlet

Membership and Engagement Lead at Learning Disability England

As you may know, the government wants to replace The Human Rights Act with a Bill of Rights.

This has raised some concerns for me and our members about how our human rights will be affected if this happens. 

The Human Rights Act 1998 was passed with cross-party support by parliament; it does not belong to any one particular political party. 

Our Human Rights Act takes 16 of the human rights in the European Convention on Human Rights and pulls them down into our law here at home. 

It’s so important that we safeguard our human rights, and nothing is left out.

We already had The Disability Discrimination Act disappear in 2010.

I am very concerned about people with learning disabilities and autistic people’s rights being watered down further with the introduction of The Bill of Rights.

Read more  “Protecting Our Human Rights”

Coronavirus and People with Learning Disabilities Study: Can you help? 

Do you have a learning disability?

Are you from a minoritised ethnic background?

If so, the Coronavirus and People with Learning Disabilities research team want to hear from you!

Watch a video about why your voice is important.

And needs to be heard.

Watch the video here

Want to find out how to take part?

And what you might be asked about?

Watch the video here

Read more  “Coronavirus and People with Learning Disabilities Study: Can you help? “

Do you have a learning disability?

Are you from a minoritised ethnic background?

If so, the Coronavirus and People with Learning Disabilities research team want to hear from you!

Watch a video about why your voice is important.

And needs to be heard.

Watch the video here

Want to find out how to take part?

And what you might be asked about?

Watch the video here

Read more  “Coronavirus and People with Learning Disabilities Study: Can you help? “

Employment and contribution

People have told us that employment and contribution are one of the most important things that help them to be able to lead a good life.

Chapter 6 of Good Lives: Building Change Together brings together people’s thoughts and ideas about employment and contribution as part of what it will take for everyone with learning disabilities to be able to live their good life.

As Gary Bourlet, self advocate and 1 of the Membership and Engagement Leads said, “It is part of what makes us human.”

Gary decided to speak to some members about why it is important to them.

And to hear about some of the different ways people choose to contribute.

Read more  “Employment and contribution”

World Sight Day 2022

Last Thursday was World Sight Day.

This guest blog is by SeeAbility’s eye care champion team, Lance Campbell, Joanne Kennedy, Rebecca Lunness, Grace McGill.

We are eye care champions.

We are four people with learning disabilities, autism or sight loss.

Everyone with a learning disability needs good eye care.

Read more  “World Sight Day 2022”

Providing the right support in challenging times: 3 perspectives

The cost of living crisis has not just been affecting individual members and their families.

Businesses, including support providers, have also been facing an increase in bills and costs when budgets are already tight.

Paid supporter members have been talking about the impact of the financial pressures they are under.

And the things they are doing to help make Good Lives, and particularly the chapter on the Right Support, a reality in difficult times.

Read more  “Providing the right support in challenging times: 3 perspectives”

Ethnicity and Difference in Health and Care

Do you have a learning disability?

Are you from a minority ethnic background?

Would you like to take part in some work to help make care better for people from minority ethnic groups with a learning disability?

We are looking for people to take part in a session to share what you think.

Read more  “Ethnicity and Difference in Health and Care”

We are looking for people to take part in a session to share what you think.

Read more  “Ethnicity and Difference in Health and Care”