DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
News Release issued by The Government News Network on 4 December 2007
Government sets
out priorities for learning disabilities for next 3 years
Care Services Minister Ivan Lewis today launched a consultation
to seek views on the priorities for learning disability for the
next three years.
'Valuing People Now - From Progress to Transformation'
is a cross-government consultation which sets the agenda across a
range of issues, including health and well-being, housing,
employment, education and community inclusion. It builds on the
vision set out in Valuing People (2001) which was the first white
paper on learning disability for thirty years - a vision based on
the four main principles of rights, independence, choice and inclusion.
The key areas it will focus on are:
* the personalisation agenda - having choice and control through
individual budgets, direct payments, person centred planning and advocacy;
* what people do - helping people to be socially included in
their local communities, with a particular focus on paid work;
* better health - ensuring that the mainstream NHS provides full
and equal access to good quality healthcare and that specialist
healthcare services are modernised;
* access to housing - ensuring that people have access to housing
that they want and need with a focus on home ownership and real tenancies;
* making sure that change happens - making learning disability
partnership boards more effective and checking that the things we
say should happen do actually happen.
Care services Minister, Ivan Lewis said:
"People with learning disabilities have a right to live
independently as equal citizens in our society. Valuing People
represented a major step forward in policy and has led to many
improvements for some people with learning disabilities in some
parts of the country. However, our challenge now is to make
independent living and equal citizenship a reality for all people
with learning disabilities in every part of the country.
Valuing People Now retains the fundamental principles of Valuing
People while seeking to secure transformation over the next few
years on issues such as housing, employment, access to mainstream
NHS Services and maximum control and choice for people with
learning disabilities, and where appropriate carers over their support.
I urge people with learning disabilities, their carers and
front-line professionals to respond to this consultation over the
next 3 months so the final strategy can achieve a major
revitalisation of the Valuing People agenda and reflect peoples
every day aspirations and experiences."
Dame Jo Williams, Chief Executive of Mencap, said:
"This is a much-welcomed step forward to ensure Valuing
People really makes a difference to the lives of people with a
learning disability. It is particularly good news as it puts the
individual in control of their care.
"Next Steps aims to give real teeth to the original 2001
Valuing People report, which aimed to make the lives of people
with a learning disability and their families better. All
government departments and local authorities must make sure they
really get behind Valuing People Next Steps, if it is to fulfil
its potential to genuinely improve lives."
The consultation will run until 11 March 2008. The Department of
Health will set out proposals for the next three years, based on
the responses that they receive to the consultation, in a document
to be published by summer 2008.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
1. The consultation will run until 11th March 2008 and can be
accessed at: http://www.dh.gov.uk