Today, members of Learning Disability England have taken an open letter to 10 Downing Street.
The letter asks the new Prime Minister to make the health of people with learning disabilities a priority.
The letter was organised by members of Learning Disability England.
People with learning disabilities still die around 20 years younger than other people.
More than 4 in 10 deaths of people with learning disabilities could have been prevented with the right care and treatment.
The letter explains what the Government and the NHS can do to improve people’s health and save lives.
1098 individuals and 175 organisations have signed the letter.
Here you can see the letter with all signatories before the 13th of July.
It’s not too late to sign either, we will resend the letter to the new Prime Minister with any added signatories.
You can still sign here.
The people who signed include:
- people with learning disabilities
- family members
- campaigners
- researchers
- health and social care workers
- other supporters
They are asking the Government to make sure NHS plans include people with learning disabilities.
Members of Learning Disability England and Lord Scriven will deliver the letter to Downing Street.
Scott Watkin BEM, from SeeAbility and Learning Disability England’s Representative Body, will also deliver the letter.
Scott said:
“Over the last year I’ve become increasingly alarmed that learning disability healthcare is disappearing in NHS plans.
The first warning signs were when the NHS 10 year plan came out last year when learning disability got one mention.
As more and more NHS guidance has come out, less and less is being said about our lives and our health.
If nothing is being said, then we become even easier to neglect. We can’t wait another 17 years for a government strategy. Whoever steps into No.10 needs to urgently intervene.”
Lord Scriven said:
“The entirely preventable death of my wonderful nephew Myles has compelled me to join forces with this campaign. Let me be clear: had Myles not lived with a learning disability and had my role as his advocate not been systematically dismissed, he would still be with us today.
I have listened to countless families with heartbreakingly similar stories, yet all we get from the authorities are platitudes and warm promises.
Enough is enough. The time for kind government words is over. We demand real change and strict, measurable accountability to improve a broken system and ensure that people living with learning disabilities get the same rights as everyone else and are afforded an equal chance of a long and healthy life.”
The letter asks for:
- clear NHS standards for caring for people with learning disabilities
- more learning disability nurses
- support for people to live in their communities instead of staying in hospital for too long
- more examples of good care to be shared across the country.
Jack Marshall, Kate Chate and Tim Keilty, Co-chairs of the Learning Disability England Representative Body, said:
“With many NHS changes, and no national plan, people are telling us they are worried about the future.
A new learning disability strategy with power behind it is the way to ensure that all NHS services are focused on closing the gaps, so people with learning disabilities don’t fall through them.
There are some examples of good healthcare where people with learning disabilities and their families are listened to, but this is not the norm. We know from research and too many families real experience, that the consequences of falling through the gaps for people with a learning disability are catastrophic.“