4. Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Services: The Learning Disability Action Plan

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:48 pm on 24 May 2022.

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Photo of Julie Morgan Julie Morgan Labour 3:48, 24 May 2022

I thank Rhun ap Iorwerth for those points. I think some of them are very well made. In terms of the detail, I think it's absolutely crucial that, in terms of implementation plan, which will have the detail, there will be the opportunity for Members to see that. It will be monitored by the MAG, which, as I say, is well represented with people with learning disabilities with lived experience. I think that's absolutely key. Obviously, they will be reporting to me as well, and at the end of the year, you will have that opportunity to see how the implementation is going. Obviously, progress will be evaluated. Some of the areas that we want to see improve will be easy to evaluate, for example the health checks that are so crucial. The pandemic came and cut those off, but we will certainly be able to see how those yearly health checks start and also whether they do achieve in identifying some of the illnesses that are linked with learning disability at an earlier stage in order to enable people to live healthier, happier lives, basically.

Some of the measurements are relatively easy to measure, others are more difficult, but, obviously, people with learning disabilities will be and should be taking advantage of all the other strategies for everybody in society. In this, we are doing particular targeted help towards people with learning disabilities, but if we have a truly integrated, equal society, they should be taking advantage of everything that we're doing as a Welsh Government. There are many other funding commitments other than the £3 million I mentioned; that was just the latest new bit that is identifying particular things to take forward.

In addition to that £3 million, there's obviously the £144 million regional investment fund where learning disability is a priority. So, we hope to see some projects from that. There's the core funding of £700,000 to health boards and to Improvement Cymru from the older people's, carers and disabled people's learning disability budget. So, there's that £700,000 as well. And then there is, of course, the money that I've already mentioned that has been given to progress the health checks—£600,000 in the last financial year and £350,000 in this financial year. So, there's a whole range of financial benefits that are coming forward, but I'd like to say, really, that we want to be sure that people with learning disabilities are taking advantage of all the things that we fund in the Welsh Government. 

Certainly, nurses are a very important part of the way of progressing, and I think I already mentioned what the Paul Ridd fund was doing in a wider way in terms of educating people in the health system in order to ensure that people do get the best help they can.

I think the pandemic has had a huge effect on everybody, and, I do believe, a disproportionate effect on people with learning disabilities. So, we have to look particularly at loneliness and isolation, because I think there has been a disproportionate effect of people with learning disabilities feeling lonely and isolated and having a great problem with coping. It's been particularly difficult for their carers, because the carers have obviously had great difficulties as well. So, I think, in the way that we look at how the pandemic has had a longer effect on children and older people, we have to include people with learning disabilities in that.