Victoria Wright
In addition to major changes to the Welfare Bill, the Government The Government are the people who run the country. They decide how much tax people should pay for things and how things like the National Health Service should work. have recently announced a new 10 Year Health Plan for England. It sets out some bold and welcome ambitions for the future of our health service A service gives people what they need, like healthcare services that help people when they are ill, and support services that give people support. . But for people with a learning disability, it’s still unclear what this plan will truly deliver.
Encouragingly, the Plan acknowledges the problem:
“Disabled people often do not get the health support they need and face stark health inequalities, including poorer life expectancy. Individuals with learning disabilities die about 20 years earlier on average. Care from a neighbourhood team will improve their life outcomes through more holistic, on-going support.”
This recognition is important, and we are pleased that our ‘ NHS The NHS is the National Health Service. The NHS gives free healthcare to everyone in the UK and includes things like your GP (doctors) surgery and hospitals. - Do you include me?’ campaign A campaign is when people work together to try to change something. played a part in ensuring people with a learning disability were not forgotten.
But words must be backed by action.
While the direction of travel is promising, the plan lacks detail on how it will improve health outcomes for people with a learning disability. Without a focused
strategy
A strategy is a plan to show what an organisation, or a person, wants to do and how they are going to do it.
to close the life expectancy gap, and without ensuring that digital tools are
accessible
Accessible means something is easy for people to use or join in with. For example: Accessible writing means the writing is easy to read and understand.
to everyone, there’s a real risk that existing inequalities in healthcare will not only persist but deepen.
The reality is stark. According to LeDeR, a boy from an Asian background with a profound learning disability faces a life expectancy of just 9 years. That’s not just a shocking statistic - it’s a call to action. And it’s one we believe must be addressed in the NHS’s plans.
As we told Learning Disability Today, the shift towards prevention, community A community is the people and places in an area. -based support, and digital care could be transformative. But only if people with a learning disability are meaningfully involved Involved is being included in something or taking part in something. in shaping what comes next.
At Mencap, we’re committed to making sure no one is left behind. We’ll be pushing the Government to ensure that people with a learning disability are at the heart of these reforms and that tackling health inequalities is a top priority.
Over 1,000 people responded to our
consultation
Consultation is finding out what people think about something.
on this plan, and we look forward to working with them to make sure the NHS meets the needs of people with a learning disability.
Health inequalities are unacceptable
Poor quality healthcare causes health inequalities and avoidable deaths.
We want everyone with a learning disability to have access to the same quality of physical and mental healthcare as everybody else.