Letter
United Response's letter to Community Care in response to recent healthcare reports
14th April 2009
United Response responded to recent healthcare reports by sending a letter to Community Care magazine. Here is the full letter:
The recent report by the NHS Ombudsman and Local Government Ombudsman ("Six deaths 'expose massive NHS and social care failings'") into the healthcare received by people with learning disabilities is the latest in a series which have resoundingly confirmed that many of them do not receive the same treatment as non-disabled people within the NHS.
It is now two years since Mencap released their original shocking report ("Death By Indifference") into the deaths of people with learning disabilities as a result of poor healthcare and other reports, including the independent inquiry conducted by Sir Jonathan Michael, have underlined the serious and widespread nature of the problem. Now we need to see more action.
Last week's joint review by the Healthcare Commission, the Commission for Social Care Inspection and the Mental Health Commission stated that the way services for people with learning disabilities are being commissioned is beginning to change "for the better". However, it also found that people with learning disabilities and complex needs still experience serious problems in accessing health services.
We welcome the plans set out by the Government in December in Valuing People Now to tackle the problem. Many of these can be rolled out immediately, including the extension of annual health checks and the greater involvement of people with learning disabilities and their carers in the planning and development of services.
We also welcome the planned training for NHS clinical staff, as improving understanding of the specific needs of people with learning disabilities will help tackle these most distressing cases of neglect. Until these changes finally take place it is essential that all of us – people with learning disabilities, their families and their supporters – work with the NHS to make certain healthcare is equal for all.
Regards
Su Sayer
Chief Executive, United Response
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For more information please contact Sarah Bartlett or Jaime Gill in the United Response Press Office on020 8246 5237/ 020 8246 5122 or emailsarah.bartlett@unitedresponse.org.uk or jaime.gill@unitedresponse.org.uk
Note to editors
United Response is a top 100 charity operating in England and Wales, providing a range of support and services for more than 1,500 people with learning disabilities, mental health needs or physical disabilities. We employ over 2,000 people across the organisation and have won many awards for our pioneering work since being founded in 1973.
Our mission is to enable people with learning disabilities, mental health needs and physical disabilities to take control of their lives.
Our vision is a society where disabled people are equal participants and have access to the same rights and opportunities as everyone else.
The services we provide depend on each person we work with. We can provide 24-hour support for people with profound physical needs, or just a few hours for those who need less support to live their lives. We can job coach someone into meaningful paid employment. We can provide outreach support for someone with a mental health need or help people who find it difficult to communicate by making information more accessible. The key to our success is that we work with each person to do the things they want to do, supporting them to communicate what they want and tell us how we are doing.
In support of our vision, we also campaign to improve the lives of people with disabilities in society. This may mean lobbying decision makers such as MPs to ensure that people’s voices are heard or it might mean working directly with disabled people so that they can be more directly engaged in the democratic process. We also work with employers to ensure that more people with learning disabilities, mental health needs and physical disabilities get a fair opportunity to work.
In 2008 alone, we were shortlisted as best employer in the Third Sector Excellence Awards and highly commended for our Annual Report. We also won a highly prestigious National Training Award for the investment we make in our staff.