5. Statement by the Minister for Children, Older People and Social Care: The Learning Disability: Improving Lives Programme

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:48 pm on 3 July 2018.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Huw Irranca-Davies Huw Irranca-Davies Labour 4:48, 3 July 2018

I'm not going to. Otherwise I would be here—. But I'm going to try and address the key ones.

First of all, in terms of learning the lessons from England or elsewhere, we definitely do that. The LeDeR report that came out looking at issues around the mortality review for people with learning disabilities—we're very aware of that. So, the recently agreed improving lives work actually has very clear recommendations aimed at reducing those health inequalities for people with learning disabilities, and in fact it's been very much informed not only by the stakeholders, but by the Paul Ridd Foundation as well. So, we have a national steering group improving health outcomes for people with learning disabilities, and the remit of this group is to plan and oversee ways in which a national approach to reducing those health inequalities can be taken—for example, by promoting the use of care bundles for people when they go into hospital. As I say, this work within the NHS—and I hope that deals with your point about the work that Vaughan Gething the Cabinet Secretary and I do together on this—is supported by the work of the Paul Ridd Foundation, where brother and sister Jonathan Ridd and Jayne Nicholls have both recently been awarded, in tribute of their work, the British empire medal in recognition of their work to improve care standards for people with learning disabilities.

The other substantive point that you raise, Michelle—there were many—is the issue of the annual health checks. We're aware that the uptake of the annual health check for people with learning disabilities indeed can be improved and must be improved. So, we have indeed established a national steering group to oversee the development of work in relation to these annual health checks and other health issues for people with learning disabilities. Officials from across departments across Government are working with Public Health Wales to develop a health action plan for people with learning disabilities and annual health checks. And on the other points that you raised, I'm happy to write to you, because of the strictures imposed quite rightly on this debate by the Dirprwy Lywydd. Diolch.