The reporting of the review focuses on the many areas of healthcare that require attention as part of rebuilding the NHS, which includes better health and social care for people with a learning disability .

In response, focusing on social care, Jon Sparkes OBE, Chief Executive of learning disability charity, Mencap said: 

“Social care is vital for many people, including people with a learning disability, who rely on the care they receive to live their everyday lives.

“It has long been our view that adult social care requires urgent reform and Lord Darzi’s findings acknowledge that the social care system is in absolute crisis - affecting not only the millions of people who rely on social care, but placing an unacceptable burden on our NHS.

“We hope the Government treats this as a priority. Without tackling the crisis in social care we cannot tackle the entirety of the issues facing the NHS.”

In response, focusing on health, Jon Sparkes OBE, Chief Executive of learning disability charity, Mencap said: 

“The evidence in Lord Darzi’s report brings the health inequalities people with a learning disability face into stark focus. Only 4 in 10 people with a learning disability live to see their 65th birthday, and are four times more likely to die avoidably from treatable causes.

“People with a learning disability have faced multiple barriers to treatment and the healthcare system consistently not meeting their needs.

“The findings from this review must be looked at urgently and the healthcare system improved to provide high quality care and end the scandal of people with a learning disability dying avoidably decades younger.  This should include significantly increasing the numbers of people with a learning disability on the GP learning disability register , increasing the number of specialist learning disability nurses and funding a successful rollout of the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training in Learning Disability & Autism across health and social care.

“We thank Lord Darzi for ensuring that the experiences of people with a learning disability were heard as part of this important review and we are ready to work with the government and the NHS to tackle these inequalities head on and deliver a health system that works for people with a learning disability.”