Equality and Diversity:
Disability Awareness
Learning Difficulties
Aims of Session
• What are learning
difficulties?
• How do people with
learning difficulties
live their lives?
• What responsibilities
do BCH and NHS
Bristol have to meet
their needs.?
Learning Difficulties?
Learning Disabilities?
• What is the difference
in terminology?
• Why do we use
different words to
describe the same
population?
• What population are
we talking about?
Learning Difficulties
Why must we consider their needs
• They represent about
2% of the population.
• They are 58 times
more likely to die
before the age of 50.
• High levels of
unrecognised illness.
• Reduced access to
cancer screening and
health promotion.
Why must we consider their
needs?
• Experience multiple
health inequalities
and social exclusion.
• Evidence of
discrimination abuse
and neglect across
health & social care
• Negative attitudes
and lack of staff
training.
Why must we consider their
needs?
• Legal Duty to do so.
• Human Rights Act
• 2005 Disability
Discrimination Act
• Single Equality
Scheme; Action Plan
• Reasonable
Adjustments
• Equal treatment
=Different treatment
Practical examples of reasonable
adjustments
• Promoting services
using accessible
posters/letters
• Giving accessible
information about
health conditions.
• Offering first, last or
double appointments.
• Offering regular
health checks
Practical examples of reasonable
adjustments
• Using a different
employment process
to recruit staff.
• Outcomes of health
appt recorded in a
personal health plan.
• Computer systems
that are flagged to
highlight special
needs.
Final Slide
• If you get it right for
people with learning
difficulties, you will
get it right for
everyone.
• For information on the
MISFITS contact
[email protected]