(2) what recent steps his Department has taken to ensure that the treatment of patients with learning disabilities by NHS staff meets the requirements of disability discrimination legislation; and if he will make it his policy to set standards of practice for staff of primary care trusts on treating patients with learning disabilities;
(3) what steps he is taking to establish the confidential inquiry into premature deaths of people with learning disabilities; and if he will make a statement.
We do not collect centrally data on cases of mistreatment of national health service patients with learning disabilities. However, the Healthcare Commission has provided some information on the total number of cases which they have received, both open and closed, involving either a complainant1 or a patient with a learning disability2.
1 These might include cases where a carer complains on behalf of a patient who lacks capacity or where a patient has died and someone else complains about an aspect of their treatment.
2 The Commission does not use the term 'mistreatment' specifically.
Year received 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Total Adult 1— 5 30 56 5 96 Child 1— 1 8 10 2 21 Age not recorded 1 8 4 3 0 16 Total cases 1 14 42 69 7 133 1 The Healthcare Commission did not record separately complaints involving people with learning disabilities which is why the numbers in early years are low.
The Healthcare Commission has worked to improve its complaints process to make it accessible for people with learning disabilities. This may be part of the reason for the increase in the number of complaints.
We have launched a national awareness and education programme for the NHS about the disability equality duty. In addition, we are working with the professional regulatory bodies to ensure that the undergraduate curricula for health and social care professionals does include training on learning disabilities, together with wider training on equalities and human rights.
We have introduced a directed enhanced services for annual health checks for people with learning disabilities who are known to local authorities. To deliver the healthcheck, general practitioners and practice staff will receive training in meeting the needs of people with a learning disability
In relation to policy on NHS practice, the NHS operating framework for 2009-10 directs primary care trust to secure general health enquiries that make reasonable adjustments for people with learning disabilities. They should also ensure that there are wider communication and partnership working arrangements to improve the quality of healthcare provided to people with a learning disability. We will work with strategic health authority to review progress.
We will establish a time-limited confidential inquiry to investigate premature deaths of people with learning disabilities. We are currently developing a specification for the inquiry and we expect to invite proposals from potential organisations in the coming months.