Treat me right! -
Equal Healthcare for People with a Learning Disability

22/06/2004

People with a learning disability get poorer healthcare than the rest of the population, in some cases leading to premature death. Mencap's Treat me right! report highlights the reasons why people with a learning disability receive poor healthcare and the changes required to improve the situation.

During this Learning Disability Week, Mencap is fighting for people with a learning disability to get the healthcare they need.







Mencap is specifically calling for

• all healthcare staff to have learning disability training. In a recent survey, four out of five GPs said they have had no training to help them treat people with a learning disability
  
• an inquiry into why people with a learning disability often die younger than other people
  
• health staff to give people with a learning disability the support they need in hospital
  
• services that meet the needs of people with a learning disability in line with the Disability Discrimination Act including; longer appointments, easy-to-read information, and access to regular screening programmes.

Mencap's Treat me right! report examines the causes of poor healthcare:

poor training – 8 out of 10 GPs surveyed said they need more training in how to treat people with a learning disability.

discrimination - "I was appalled at the lack of respect my daughter was shown by the doctor who was to carry out her kidney scan. We were waiting in the corridor and we overheard him say, ‘that's not coming in my room. It will destroy the equipment. They all made it quite obvious that we were not welcome.” Jean, Victoria's mother.

poor treatment – "We had to go to the optometrist four times before we were taken seriously. James has now been registered blind.” Mary, James' mum.

lack of support – "The hospital which admitted Kay had drawn up its own guidance detailing how to care for people with a learning disability. None of this was followed. Information wasn't passed from one nurse to another as they changed shifts. In the end we had to stay at the hospital to make sure Karen would survive.” Bob, Karen's father.

accessibility – Only 30% of GPs surveyed said they had information in an easy-to-read format. Just under half the GPs surveyed said they had people with a learning disability arrive at the wrong time or miss appointments because they did not understand or had lost the information provided about their appointment times.

Mencap is launching an e-campaign for people to e-mail their MPs asking them to pressure their Primary Care Trusts to improve healthcare for people with a learning disability.


- For more information or to e-mail your MP go to www.mencap.org.uk/treatmeright

SNAP! exhibition
Mencap also ran the nation-wide photo competition, Snap! 2004 for the second year. The photos were taken by or feature people with a learning disability, and give them the chance to tell their stories. The winning entries are on display at the prestigious Victoria & Albert Museum in London during Learning Disability Week.
- Find out more about the SNAP! exhibition