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Health

This section of the website is about health. Valuing People says that people with learning disabilities should get the same, good quality, health services as everyone else. This page tells you what Valuing People says. It also has some useful general papers including the 'All Means All' paper written by the team for people who plan health services. This was written so that they can include people with learning disabilities in the plans they have to write to meet government targets. The Disability Rights Commission are looking at whether people with learning disabilities and people with mental health problems get a fair health service. This is called a 'Formal Investigation'. You can find out more from www.drc-gb.org/health.

What does Valuing People say?

That people with learning disabilities should get the same health services that are available to everyone else with expert care when they need it. Valuing People Objective: "To enable people with learning disabilities to access a health service designed around their individual needs, with fast and convenient care delivered to a consistently high standard, and with additional support where necessary." What does Valuing People say will happen?

By Spring 2003 'health facilitators' for people with learning disabilities will be identified
All people with a learning disability will be registered with a GP by summer 2004
All people with a learning disability will have a Health Action Plan by June 2005
The NHS will make sure that mainstream hospital services are accessible to people with learning disabilities
Action to challenge discrimination against people with learning disabilities from minority ethnic communities
Action to reduce health inequalities: to explore the feasibility of establishing a confidential enquiry into mortality among people with learning disabilities
The development of local specialist services for people with severe challenging behaviour is a priority for the capital element of the Learning Disability Development Fund
The Mental Health National Service Framework will bring new benefits to people with learning disabiltiies
New role for specialist learning disability services, making most effective use of their expertise.

Guidance on Commissioning Adult Specialist Healthcare

Format	What the Information is
	Commissioning Specialist Adult Learning Disability Health Services Good Practice Guidance including Specialist Adult Learning Disability Health Services good Practice Guidance Easy Read Summary

Report of the Independent Inquiry into Access to Healthcare for People with Learning Disabilities

Format	What the Information is
	Healthcare for All Sir Jonathan Michael - July 2008 Healthcare for All Easy Read

The East Midlands Learning Disabilities Darzi workstream

Format	What the information is
	East Midlands Learning Disabilities Darzi Workstream

Health Needs of People with Learning Disabilities Annual Evidence Update

(National Library for Health Learning Disabilities Specialist Library)

http://www.library.nhs.uk/learningdisabilities

People with learning disabilities have a higher level of health needs than the general population, many of which are unmet. This Annual Evidence Update from the NLH Learning Disabilities Specialist Library provides bibliographies of published research for some key health issues:

* Cancer
* Coronary heart disease
* Epilepsy
* Challenging behaviour
* Respiratory illness

We know that many people with learning disabilities do not to seek out support from the healthcare system unaided, and that healthcare issues can remain undiagnosed or untreated. Healthcare professionals in primary care have infrequent contact with people with learning disabilities, and few have had specific training, although the requirement to offer Health Action Planning to people with learning disabilities to help identify healthcare needs should improve outcomes.

Easy health website

A new easy health website has now been launched and the address is www.easyhealth.org.uk we have helped to fund this & it provides navigation to loads of easy to understand health information.

Health Learning Disability Networks

Format What the information is
For updated list of regional and national UK learning disability health networks please click here
For a list of networks run by Jan-net please click here

For more information please contact Janet Cobb at janet@jan-net.co.uk.

You can also access the website at www.jan-net.co.uk

Valuing People Regional Health Networks

Format	What the information is?
	Regional Health Network- Regional Learning Disability Health Networks supported by the Valuing People Support Team. Purpose and Membership of the Regional Health Networks

Expert Patient Programme Report

Format	What the information is
	To read the report on the Expert Patient Programme click here This research report was prepared by Patricia Wilson, Claire Goodman and Helen Shaw from the University of Hertfordshire. On behalf of the Valuing People Support Team.

DRC Equal Treatment: Closing the Gap

In September 2006 the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) published the report of an 18 month investigation into the health inequalities experienced by people with mental health problems and/or learning disabilities in England and Wales. The report highlights the scale of inequalities they face and calls for urgent action on a number of issues. To see the report, click on the links below:

Format	Format 2	What the information is
		Equal Treatment Closing the Gap Part 1
		Equal Treatment%3A Closing The Gap Part 2
		Equal Treatment%3A Closing the Gap Easy Read

Useful papers

Format	Format 2	What the information is
		Choosing Health is the government's plan for how to make people healthier. Visit the Department of Health's website at www.dh.gov.uk to find out more.
		In March 2007 the Healthcare Commission along with the Mental Health Act Commission and the National Institute for Mental Health in England, released the results of their Count Me In 2006 Census which aimed to provide accurate figures on the numbers of inpatients in mental health and learning disability services in England and Wales. Count Me In 2006 Report
		In October 2007 the Department of Health have brought out a new Good Practice Guidance on Commissioning Specialist Adult Learning Disability Health Services Commissioning Specialist Adult Learning Disability Health Services Good Practice Guidance Specialist Adult Learning Disability Health Services Good Practice Guidance Easy Read Summary Also attached PDF document on Whole System Approach to Commisioning Specilist Learning Disability Servces
		Improvement, Expansion and Reform: Ensuring that All Means All The Department of Health brought out a paper called 'Improvement, Expansion and Reform: the next three years, Planning and Priorities Framework 2003- 2006' to set out what organisations needed to do over these 3 years. The framework does not mention people with learning disabilities but people with learning disabilities should be included as part of plans for everyone. The Valuing People Support Team wrote this paper called 'All Means All' to help PCTs and Strategic Health Authorities do this.
		'Key Highlights' of Research Evidence on the Health of People with Learning Disabilities (long version- short version is part of the 'All means All' document)
		All means all - Summary for Chief Executives
		List of information about health for people with learning difficulties, families and professionals Here is a list of leaflets, books and other resources that have been written about different health issues, including easy to read books and leaflets. The list came from Karen Duggan who works for McIntyre Care and was given to us by the UK Primary Health Care Network. (last updated June 2004) You can also find a list of leaflets at www.aldern.nhs.uk/accessible_information_leaflets.htm
		Understanding the patient safety issues for people with learning disabilities (PDF) The National Patient Safety Agency wrote a report about people with learning disabilities keeping safe in health services. You can link to the report here (PDF). You can link to their website through www.npsa.nhs.uk
		You can find information about cancer, written for people with learning disabilities at this website: www.cancernorth.nhs.uk/infoprint.asp
		Slide about NSFs Here is a slide about how the different National Services Frameworks for health relate to people with learning disabilities
		'Better Metrics' is a paper to help people to set local targets for their health services that they agree actually mean they are getting better. People who work in health services will want to look at it. We helped write it and it has some targets in that are about seeing how well services are doing for people with learning disabilities. Its very long, but the bits about people with learning disabilities start at page 70. Click here to link to it on the Office of Strategic Health Authorities website at www.osha.nhs.uk
		The Ethnicity Training Network is a group of people and organisations who are interested in ethnicity and health. It offers information and skills for staff and service users on health and ethnicity with special focus on disability. You can find out more from this website: www.etn.leeds.ac.uk
		www.soundshealthy.nhs.uk A website from Sheffield, Leicester and Nottingham PCT's gives health information in 8 languages in an audio and written format.
		Report from the Health Care Commission (PDF 70 KB) The Health Care Commission's job is to check to make sure health services are doing a good job. Here is a report about some of the work they are doing to make sure health services do a good job for people with learning disabilities.
		Longer summary of what Valuing People says about health
		Health A-Z Thank you to Esia Dean for this. (PDF 65 KB)
		Medication matters have made guides for people with learning disabilities to help them understand about the medications thay might be on. You can download them from www.medicines-partnership.org
		Standards Framework for Local Health Strategies - Sheffield (PDF 190 KB) Sheffield have agreed a plan with their Primary Care Trust - they pay for health services - about what all health services should be doing for people with learning disabilities.
		Managing medication in learning disability social care services This project is run by ARC. It has made a checklist for organisations, managers and carers/staff. It also has guidance for organisations and a training framework for carers/staff. You can get them from the ARC website www.arcuk.org.uk
		'Getting to know your pharmacist' is a leaflet written to tell people how their pharmacist (chemist) can help them. The file is nearly 3 MB which is really big.
		The living with cancer website has information about how to improve cancer services for people with learning disabilities. Its at www.learningdisabilitycancer.nhs.uk
		www.intellectualdisability.info is a website about health. It is for people who work in health services, and student doctors and nurses.
		This is a practical guide for healthcare professionals to effectively meet the needs of patients with a learning disability Your next patient has a learning disability (PDF 228KB)
		This is a list of accessible health information leaflets Accessible information - Health (PDF 96KB)
		The Expert Patient Programme is a 6 week course for people with any sort of long term health condition. Last year the course was piloted for people with learning difficulties in two regions. This is the report. Expert Patient Programme Info
		The Healthcare Commission will be carrying out a national audit of learning disabilities services in the early part of 2007. The audit will be looking at all adult and specialist adolescent learning disability services provided by the NHS and independent healthcare providers. The audit will not look at any services already registered with the Commission for Social care Inspection. National Audit of Learning Disability Services
		CSIP have brought out a document Positive Practice Positive Outcomes which is a handbook for professionals in the Criminal Justice System working with offenders with learning disabilities.
		Questions to Ask has been developed by the Department of Health to help everyone get the best out of their appointment with their doctor or health professional. Questions to Ask leaflet Information about Questions to Ask
		Good practice in learning disability nursing Learning disability nurses (LDNs) currently play a vital role in helping to respond to the healthcare and other needs of people with learning disabilities. This guidance aims to highlight how their contribution can be made even more effective in the future. Good practice in learning disability nursing
		Oral Health The Department of Health have brought out a good practice guide for improving the oral health of disabled children and adults. Valuing Peoples Oral Health
	N/A	Directed Enhanced Service Guidance 2008/09
Summary	Survey	Health Passport Report Survey & Summary
Briefing Note	Summary	Briefing note from Foundation for people with Learning Disabilities and Healthcare Summary.
		Getting a Health Action Plan Information Sheet Referal

We help to improve services and achieve better outcomes for children and families, adults and older people including those with mental health problems, physical or learning disabilities or people in the criminal justice system. We work with and are funded by