Mencap want doctors and nurses need to complete learning disability awareness training

Mencap, the charity trying to bring equality to disabled people, carried out a survey that revealed half of doctors and a third of nurses have noticed that people with a learning disability do not receive the same level of health care as the rest of their patients.

To mark Learning Disability Week 2010 (Monday 21- Sunday 27th June) Mencap are running a campaign called Get it Right. The campaign urges health care trusts to sign a charter that sets out the rights of people with a learning disability and the responsibilities of the hospitals.

The survey, completed earlier this month, found that 45% of doctors had witnessed a patient with a learning disability being treated with neglected or lack of dignity.

In the survey, health care professionals admitted that they lacked in training and specific guidance on how to meet the needs of patients with learning disabilities.

“Doctors and nurses have recognised that they need more support to get it right when treating people with a learning disability”, said Mark Goldring, Mencap Chief Executive.

Some of the things that Mencap are campaigning to go on the Get it Right charter are:

• Appoint learning disabilities liaison nurses in hospitals.

• Ensure that all staff members complete learning disability awareness training.

• Provide information in a format that is accessible to people with a learning difficulty.

The Department of Health has commented that while improvements have been made there is still “much to do”.

By Lauren King