Our Voices Matter

Hi readers, it’s Emily and Kerry here again, continuing our thoughts from last time, when we talked about how many people are struggling with support - something we feel strongly about.

Did you know that across Dorset, there are about 11,000 people with a learning disability. That’s a lot of people! We also know from LeDeR (government learning from deaths review) that people with a learning disability experience some of the worst health inequalities in the UK. Like on average, people die up to 25 years earlier than the general population. What’s really worrying is they also report that about half these deaths were preventable.  

What’s positive is that some things have been put in place to try and improve this, like the Oliver McGowan Training, but it’s hard to know yet what difference it will make. Right now, we still see health services stretched, sometimes broken, and systems under pressure that are meant to support people –or there is no clear ‘pathway’ for us!

Now, with lots of changes to health, like the ICB boards, it’s more important than ever that our voices are heard. Fortunately, in Dorset, I Kerry sit on a Health Action Group which helps, as people making decisions like commissioners get to understand our experiences, what things are really like ‘on the ground’, to help avoid decisions being made which could make things worse or add more pressure to health services.

Even this week, we’ve written to the government about the Timms Review (looking at PIP payments), as people like us haven’t been properly included. When things feel difficult, that’s exactly when it’s most important to speak up, even though it’s not always easy.

And yes, we’re still looking ahead and finding opportunities in all of this! So, it’s onwards and upwards.

The writers of the Our View column are supported in their editing by People First Dorset - a charity led and run by people with learning disabilities with support from staff