DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
News Release issued by COI News Distribution Service. 19 January 2009
People with
learning disabilities will be supported in every aspect of their
lives, from housing and health to employment, Secretary of State
for Health, Alan Johnson announced today.
'Valuing People Now - A Three Year Strategy for People with
Learning Disabilities' presents a new vision for improving
services for people with learning disabilities across health,
housing, employment and community care services. It follows a
comprehensive consultation involving more than 10,000 people.
Improving training, commissioning of services and strengthening
local structures to meet the needs of people with learning
disabilities, are fundamental elements of the Strategy.
Key aims include:
* ensuring people with learning disabilities get the healthcare
they need and the support they want to live healthy lives;
* supporting more people with learning disabilities, including
those with more complex needs, into paid work;
* ensuring people with learning disabilities have the choice to
have relationships, become parents and continue to be parents; and
* giving people with learning disabilities opportunities to study
and enjoy leisure and social activities.
Progress will be reviewed annually. A new national Learning
Disability Programme Board and Regional Boards will ensure the
strategy works, share good practice and provide a forum for
stakeholder groups to discuss progress and concerns.
Secretary of State for Health, Alan Johnson said:
"All people with learning disabilities must be supported to
live, full, independent lives as equal citizens across all aspects
of life. This strategy will help make that a reality and I urge
the NHS, local authorities and public services to take this
opportunity to make real progress to transform people's lives."
Valuing People Now also contains the Government's response
to the Independent Inquiry chaired by Sir Jonathan Michael. This
was set up by former Secretary of State Patricia Hewitt in
response to the Mencap report 'Death by Indifference' in 2007.
In response to the Independent Inquiry, the Department will:
* establish a confidential inquiry to investigate the premature
deaths of people with learning disabilities;
* commission a new Public Health Observatory to provide essential
data information at a national and local level; and
* work with the professional regulatory bodies to ensure medical
students and NHS professionals receive training on learning
disabilities, equalities and human rights.
These steps will build upon measures already taken in response to
the inquiry's report, such as annual GP health checks for
people with learning disabilities and the 'reasonable
adjustments' to general health services PCTs were directed to
make in the NHS Operating Framework for 2009/10.
Mr Johnson added:
"I accept the recommendations of Sir Jonathan Michael's
Independent Inquiry. We will set up a confidential inquiry into
premature deaths of people with learning disabilities as soon as
possible, along with a Public Health Observatory to provide data
on services. These will help improve NHS commissioning of services
further. "
Mark Goldring, chief executive of learning disability charity
Mencap, said:
"Valuing People Now is a very welcome report with great
significance for people with a learning disability. It is a vision
that puts people with a learning disability at the centre of their
care - and offers clear solutions for people with profound and
multiple learning disabilities and for carers.
"This is a commendable continuation of the important work of
Valuing People, particularly with the delivery plan and
partnership boards, to help ensure real change for people with a
learning disability. We welcome that Valuing People Now goes
beyond just health services. It means that other departments must
follow the lead of the Department of Health in improving services
for people with a learning disability.
"Valuing People Now has rightly acted on the recommendations
of Mencap's Death by Indifference report as well as the
independent inquiry from Sir Jonathan Michael. These systemic
recommendations for improvements in health care are an important
step forward and will be good news for all people with a learning disability.
"The delivery plan is a much welcome and important part of
Valuing People Now. It could make a real difference to people with
a learning disability. We urge the Government to make Valuing
People Now a reality as soon as possible"
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
1. For media enquiries only contact the Department of Health
Media Centre on tel: 020 7210 5658
2. The following documents have been published today:
* The Valuing People Now strategy
* The Valuing People Now
delivery plan
* The Valuing People Now impact assessment
*
The Valuing People Now Equality Impact Assessment
* Summary of
Consultation Responses
* Guidance on commissioning for health
and well being for people with a learning disability will be
published electronically this week
Accessible versions of all
the documents (with the exception of the impact assessment) are available.
3. The 'Valuing People Now: From Progress to
Transformation' consultation ran from December 2007 - March 2008.
4. The independent inquiry into access to health care for people
with learning disabilities was chaired by Sir Jonathan Michael.
The report of the independent inquiry 'Healthcare for
All' was published on 29th July 2008
5. 'Valuing People Now - A Three Year Strategy for People
with Learning Disabilities' also contains a further response
to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights report
'A Life Like Any Other? Human Rights of Adults with Learning
Disabilities' published on 6th March 2008. The Government
published its response on 6th May 2008.
Valuing People Now includes an update on issues and progress
since the Government response was published in May, including:
* publication of the Single Equalities Bill
* Healthcare for All - the report of the Independent Inquiry
into access to healthcare for people with learning disabilities,
which was published in July 2008
* progress on the consultation on Safeguarding and "No Secrets"
* Further action on the issue of Hate Crime
6. A directed enhanced services for annual health checks for
people with learning disabilities who are known to local
authorities was introduced for 2008/09. This year, the number of
people with learning disabilities known to local authorities who
receive annual health checks will be a new Vital Signs indicator.
7. The NHS Operating Framework for 2009/10 directs PCTs to secure
general health services that make reasonable adjustments for
people with learning disabilities.
8. Death by Indifference was published by Mencap in March 2007