News

• NHS to consult on social care services

Learning difficulty organisations have welcomed a government consultation on opening up the NHS as evidence that the group is being accepted more into the mainstream.

The 'Developing Choice, Responsiveness and Equity in Health and Social Care' consultation aims to develop “radical proposals” on how best to empower patients in a range of NHS services, including children’s health, continuing care, mental health, older people’s care, maternity services, emergency care, elective care and primary care.

Michelle Chinery, co-chairperson of the Learning Disability Taskforce, believes their views will be fed into all the service areas.

“I don’t think learning disabilities should be treated separately, but as part of the mainstream health service. At the moment we get a second class service from the NHS and I hope the consultation will address that,” she added.

Jo Williams, chief executive of disability charity Mencap, agreed that learning difficulties perspectives were relevant to all the areas. “We are talking about 1.5 million people who are users of the health service – I don’t expect them to be an add-on,” she said.

Expert groups will be set up to collate views and make recommendations in the autumn, with the consultation being led by Harry Cayton, chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Society.