NHS ‘Failing those with learning difficulties

The charity Mencap says the NHS is guilty of institutional discrimination against people with learning difficulties and is calling on the government to tackle the issue.

The report is the latest from Mencap to look at the way in which people with learning disabilities are treated in the health service following its 2007 investigation, Death by indifference.

Among the concerns it found were: failure to abide by disability discrimination law, ignoring crucial advice from families, failing to meet even basic care needs and not recognising pain and distress and delays in diagnosing and treating serious illness.

Mencap says it also found that there has been no systematic monitoring by the Department of Health to check if the needs of such patients are being met.

Twenty three-year-old Tina Papalabropoulos , who had multiple learning disabilities, epilepsy and complex health needs, died in hospital in 2009.

Four days after developing a cough she was admitted with suspected “aspiration pneumonia” but had to wait four days to see the consultant.

The family was advised that, given the circumstances, she should not be resuscitated and a DNR (do not resuscitate) notice was put above her bed. Her family says there was no proper discussion and there is no suggestion that her quality of life would have declined had she recovered from the illness.

Tina’s case is currently being investigated by the General Medical Council (GMC) and the Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman.

Basildon and Thurrock University hospital’s NHS foundation trust said: “It would be inappropriate for us to comment on Tina’s case until the ombudsman report is published.”

‘Heartbreaking stories’

Mencap said that over the past decade, 74 people with learning disabilities have died in NHS care and it says these fatalities could have been avoided.

It is calling for annual health checks to become a permanent part of the GP contract to ensure early detection of health conditions and for a standard hospital “passport” to be made available to all people with a learning disability.

In a statement, Mencap chief executive Mark Goldring said: “At Mencap we continue to hear heartbreaking stories of unnecessary deaths and pain. Sadly we believe that these cases are just the tip of the iceberg.

“Although some significant steps have been taken within the NHS, where progress has been made it has been patchy and inconsistent. If the government doesn’t get to grips with this serious issue more people will die unnecessarily.”
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