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Government initiatives are failing to recognise the needs of people with learning difficulties from ethnic minorities, according to Robina Shah, chairperson of the North West Regional Health Authority Task Force for Valuing People.

"We are still failing to acknowledge people from ethnic minorities in initiatives like 'Valuing People' and 'Supporting People'," she told a conference in London on the delivery of services to people with learning difficulties from an ethnic background.

Social inclusion of people from ethnic minorities with learning difficulties needs to be addressed. "More and more people from ethnic minorities are likely to be in poor housing and on low income than the white population, and less likely to access social and health care," said Shah.

Shah said she felt frustrated that the same recommendations came up year after year, but the system was not there to support change.

"Ten years down the line I am still coming across the same difficulties and problems. How much more do carers and users have to tell us about what they want before something happens?" she said.