On 15 February 2012 Mencap released an update to their original Death by
Indifference report of 2007, looking at what progress has been made in the last 5 years.

It confirms that, although some positive steps have been taken in the NHS, many health professionals are still failing to provide adequate care to people with a learning disability. The report highlights the deaths of 74 people with a learning disability in NHS care over the last ten years which Mencap believes are a direct result of institutional discrimination and could have been avoided.

The report uncovers common errors made by healthcare professionals. These include failure to abide by disability discrimination law, ignoring crucial advice from families and failing to meet even basic care needs. Mencap believes that this is underpinned by an assumption by some healthcare professionals that people with a learning disability are not worth treating.

To end discrimination in the NHS and ensure people with a learning disability receive the same quality of care as the rest of the population, Mencap is calling for a number of commitments. These include annual health checks to become a permanent part of the GP contract, all health professionals to act within the law and get training around the Equality Act and Mental Capacity Act, regulatory bodies to conduct rigorous investigations and deliver appropriate sanctions where health
professionals have failed in their obligations to patients with a learning disability, and a standard hospital passport for all people with a learning disability.

Find out more about Mencap's Getting it Right campaign here

You can download a copy of Death by Indifference: 74 deaths and counting by clicking on the image above. 

If you prefer an Easy Read summary of Death by Indifference: 74 deaths and counting click here

Please tell us what you think of the report in the comments section below, or join us on Twitter - just look for @ivecic

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This is IVE got a voice - edition 3. If you click on the image on the left, it should take you directly to the newsletter.

Please use this blog post to add any comments you may have about this edition. Apologies it's taken me a while to add the newsletter to the blog...

Also, I would like to know if there is anything in particular you would like to read about in the next edition. I am starting to plan it as we speak.

PTS

So, 2012 has finally arrived. Are you looking forward to it? Most people we've spoken to are well and truly thankful that 2011 is out of the way, but is 2012 going to be any better?
Do you have any resolutions? Share with us!

The Care Quality Commission (CQC), the independent regulator of health care and adult social care services in England, have published their annual State of Care report. This report is for the period of April 2010 to March 2011.
You can download it from this blog, just below, however we would recommend you take a few minutes to visit the CQC website www.cqc.org.uk were you can see a lot more information related to the report, as well as being able to read some case studies.
The State of Care report is divided into four sections: The shape of health and social care provision, Access to care and services, Choice and control and Quality and safety. Each section details how services are meeting these areas and whether there have been improvements over the last year.

Today, 13 October 2011, Nottingham City Council held a consultation event to feed into their Vulnerable Adults Plan consultation. Were you there? What did you think? Let us know in the comments.
If you weren't able to attend, and let's face it, an event in the middle of the day isn't convenient for everyone, do not despair you can still have your say. The consultation is open until 19 December 2011 and IVE would urge you to get involved.  You can download the consultation document here:

The Plan encompasses a broad spectrum of vulnerable adults, including:

 - older people with long term conditions, degenerative chronic or neurological diseases, adults with learning disability, mental health difficulties and physical and sensory impairment
 - people who are at risk of losing their independence due to issues relating to health, age or disability
 - people who act as carers
 - people affected by broader issues relating to social exclusion and homelessness including those with co-existing needs (e.g. mental health, alcohol and substance misuse, mild learning disability).

This affects a lot of people, and more than likely someone we know or ourselves in the future. You have the opportunity to ensure YOU can have your say in shaping this Plan.

A report produced by The Princess Royal Trust for Carers reveals that 70% of older carers suffer a devastating impact on their health due to their caring role. The report, called 'Always On Call, Always Concerned' highlights the concerns of older carers while demonstrating how essential it is to support local centres that look after older carers’ needs.
Based on a survey of 639 carers aged 60-94, the report found that 65% of older carers have long term health problems or a disability themselves and seven out of ten (68.8%) say that being a carer has an adverse effect on their mental health.
Of the UK‟s approximately six million carers, around half are aged over 50 and 1.5 million of these are carers over the age of 60
alone. The pressures of caring also particularly affect older carers in other ways; a major concern for eight out of ten is what will happen to the person they care for in the future. And only half feel safe or confident in lifting the person they care for.
The Trust points out that greater focus on helping older carers maintain their health is crucial. Local authorities and local health providers need to give greater recognition to the benefit of supporting older carers. Centres support carers of all ages, but a high percentage of users of the service are older people. This means that most carers’ centre services are designed to meet the needs of older carers including availability of home visits, emergency planning and group activities that meet the needs of older carers.

For more information about the work of The Princess Royal Trust for Carers got to www.carers.org 
To download a copy of the report, click below

There will be a public rally on Saturday 22 October 2011 from 12.30pm in Nottingham city centre to protest that the East Midlands is the hardest hit region with regards to cuts to disability services and benefits.
Come along and show your support.