Mencap responds to CQC report ‘The state of health care and adult social care in England 2025/26'
Jon Sparkes OBE, chief executive of learning disability A learning disability is to do with the way someone's brain works. It makes it harder for someone to learn, understand or do things. charity Mencap, said:
“For people with a learning disability, the healthcare inequalities highlighted by the CQC are not abstract statistics. They can mean dying years too soon from conditions that should be treated or prevented.
“At the same time, an underfunded
social care
Social care means the services that give care and support to people who need it.
system is leaving people without the support they need to live healthy, independent lives in their communities. Through our helpline, we regularly hear from families facing
cuts
Cuts are when there is less money to pay for things like clubs and support.
to care packages, reduced local support and long waits for assessments, often with devastating consequences.
“The Government has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to fix these failures through social care reform. It must grasp this opportunity and tackle the funding crisis, workforce shortages and the deep health inequalities experienced by people with a learning disability, or the fractures identified by the CQC will only deepen.”
Note to editors
About Mencap
There are 1.5 million people with a learning disability in the UK and they deserve to live their life to the full. So Mencap supports people with a learning disability to succeed in the things that matter to them. To ensure that people with a learning disability are not left behind at any stage of their life, we campaign A campaign is when people work together to try to change something. for a fairer society; work with families and partners to build inclusive communities; and we deliver person-centred services. We’ve spent 80 years changing lives. Now, with Mencap 2030, we’re changing the future.
What is a learning disability?
A learning disability is a reduced intellectual ability which affects someone for their whole life. Typically, people with a learning disability need more time to learn and process information. They may need extra support to develop skills, complete tasks and interact with others, or they may have more complex needs requiring round-the clock care. The level of support needed is different for everyone and may change during a person’s lifetime.
Learning disability is NOT a mental illness or a learning difficulty. Often, the term ‘learning difficulty’ is wrongly used in place of ‘learning disability’. Having a learning difficulty (such as ADHD or
dyslexia
Dyslexia is a learning difficulty. People who have dyslexia can find it hard to read, write and spell.
) may mean a person learns at a different pace or in a different way BUT – unlike a learning disability - it does not affect a person’s intellect.
With the right support, most people with a learning disability can lead happy, healthy, independent lives. At Mencap, it’s our mission to remove societal barriers and shatter misconceptions to make this more possible for more people.
Mencap’s guide to reporting on Learning Disability
When it comes to creating content with people with a learning disability, we know many people feel nervous about saying and doing the wrong thing. Our guide for journalists, covers everything from up-to-date facts and figures to the right language to use. It also includes tips on how to work with people with a learning disability to gather the best content.
For further information, please contact Mencap’s media team on: [email protected] or 02076 965414 (including out of hours).
