Having recently attended events organised by Public Health England around the topic of how to improve the health and consequent life expectancy of people with a learning disability, and aware of the findings of previous research on the issue stretching back beyond the Marmot Report of 2010, (sadly) I was not surprised by the contents of a report just published (5th Nov) by University College London (UCL) Institute of Health Equity (IHE), entitled ‘A Fair, Supportive Society’
This is how the Press Release for the Report introduced its findings:
Shocking new report on children with learning disabilities: Half aren’t diagnosed in childhood; those who are won’t collect their pension.
A new report published today, 5 November, by the UCL Institute of Health Equity (IHE) shows the Government’s emphasis on ‘fairness’ and fixing a ‘broken society’ has failed, catastrophically, for hundreds of thousands of children with learning disabilities. The IHE report A fair, Supportive Society shows the most vulnerable in society – those with learning disabilities – will die 15-‐20 years sooner on average than the general population –that’s 1,200 people every year.
More shocking, explains the IHE’s Director, Professor Sir Michael Marmot, is the fact that this difference is not an inevitable consequence of the underlying condition that led to the learning disability…
It may be depressing; but it pays to read the Press Release in full
The Report itself, available on line here. Perhaps, just take a look at its Executive Summary and Recommendations (pages 6-9)
As Professor Sir Michael Marmot, Director of the IHE states: “Much of the action to improve the social determinants of health for those with learning disabilities will also improve health for others at higher risk of ill health because of social disadvantage. Therefore the actions recommended here will not only improve lives and health outcomes for a highly vulnerable group, people with learning disabilities, but could also help to reduce inequalities in health across thepopulation. The time to act is now.”