Equality and Diversity: Disability Awareness

1. Equality and Diversity: Disability Awareness Learning Difficulties

2. 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.?

3. 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?

4. Learning DifficultiesWhy 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.

5. 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.

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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.

9. 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 misfits_theatre_co@hotmail.co.uk