Concern over treatment for people with learning disabilities in East Anglia

The treatment of people with disabilities has been called into question after a survey suggested that many doctors and nurses in the region felt those with learning diffi-culties received a poorer standard of care than the rest of the population.

Mencap, the charity that provides help for people with learning disabil-ities and their families, today releases the results of research that highlights how differently they are treated in the NHS. The survey of healthcare professionals found that:

43 pc of doctors and nurses in East Anglia said they had seen a patient with a learning disability being trea-ted with neglect or a lack of dignity, or receiving poor-quality care.

34pc of them felt that people with a learning disability were discrim-inated against in the NHS.

Locally, the Norfolk Coalition of Disabled People (NCODP) said Men-cap’s report showed that, even in the 21st century, disabled people were still being treated inhumanely.

A spokesman said: “It is extremely concerning that stories of mis-treatment similar to those within the report have been raised with us by our membership. NCODP wants to see systematic changes in the way health and social care professionals are educated and trained, including the ongoing involvement of disabled people in developing health and social care services.”

The coalition has worked for the past three years to train student doctors and nurses at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital to improve their awareness of the needs of people with learning difficulties, and it is supporting Mencap’s Get-ting it Right campaign, launched as part of Learning Disability Week 2010 (starting today).

Mencap’s Death by Indifference report in 2007 highlighted six cases of people with a learning disability who died unnecessarily in NHS hospitals.

Allan Cannon, 62, of Barton Turf, supports Mencap’s campaign after he spent years fighting the NHS following the death of his 30-year-old son Mark in August 2003.

Mark, from Romford, Essex, had severe learning difficulties. He could hardly speak and he had epilepsy.

In June 2003 he broke his leg at a council care home and, despite being treated at the Oldchurch Hospital in Romford, he died eight weeks later.

An investigation was launched by the health service ombudsman after Mencap made a complaint on behalf of the Cannons and other families of six vulnerable people who died in the care of NHS staff. The ombudsman later concluded Mark died as a result of public service failure by Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust and Havering Council.

“As far as I am concerned, my son would be alive today if he had not been mistreated in NHS care,” said Mr Cannon.

In Norfolk, health officials say they have made real strides to improve care for people with learning diffi-culties. Alison Leather, NHS Norfolk’s assistant director of mental health, said: “NHS Norfolk has shown that we are committed to working with our health and social care partners to meet the needs of people with learning difficulties, and we will continue to do so.”