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The Health Charter for Social Care Providers

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What Do We Know about health and people with learning disabilities?

Clear evidence from research of:

!  Shorter life expectancy

!  More sensory & physical impairments

!  Poorer physical health

!  Poorer mental health

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The social determinants of poorer health

!  Being poor

!  Poor housing

!  Not having a job

!  Bullying and discrimination

!  Social isolation

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Genetic, environmental and biological factors

!  Physical problems people are born with. For example if you are born with Down’s Syndrome you may also have heart problems

!  Problems people are born with that may make things like noise, lots of people, bright lights, and other things more difficult to cope with. This can lead to behaviour that challenges.

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Communication and health ‘literacy’

!   Not understanding about your body

!   Not being able to say how you feel

!   Care workers may not recognise pain and discomfort – and may not feel confident that they have the knowledge, skills and training needed to identify health problems or help people understand about health

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Personal health risks and behaviours

!   Less than 10% of adults with learning disabilities in supported accommodation eat a balanced diet

!   Physical activity levels much lower than general population

!   People with learning disabilities much more likely to be either/or overweight/ underweight

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Access to services

!   Lack of services

!   Physical barriers to access

!   Eligibility criteria

!   Not making ‘reasonable adjustments’

!   Lack of expertise and discrimination

!   Diagnostic overshadowing

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The Care Act

!   Local Authorities should promote individual wellbeing

!   There should be a focus on preventing or delaying the need for support

!   Local authorities should promote integration with the NHS and other key partners

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What does this mean for services?

!  Health inequalities are to an extent avoidable

!  Poor health can impact on all aspects of life

!  Poor health costs money

!  Poor health is not just about health services

Health is everyone’s responsibility

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The Health Charter - How did we develop it?

!   Work with Sheffield on health inequalities

!   Previous guidance for social care providers on addressing health inequalities – based on IHaL work

!   The Mencap charter

!   Developed with VODG members, people with learning disabilities and families

!   Launched on 6th March 2014

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What is it?

!  Charter (and easy read) !  Guidance !   Self-Assessment

Framework !   Sign up on the VODG –

website: www.vodg.org.uk/health-charter/health-charter-home.html

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Charter standards

!   All staff should understand and use the Mental Capacity Act

!   Listen to, respect and involve family carers so people get good support

!   There should be training for staff on:

•  Healthy lifestyles •  Knowing if someone is in

pain •  Health problems

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Charter standards

!   People should be helped to understand about their health, using accessible information

!   If you go to a health appointment, you should have someone with you who knows you and can support you well

!   People should be helped to go to health screening appointments

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Charter standards

!   Staff should be able to give medicines safely

!   People should be supported to go for health checks

!   People should have health action plans and hospital passports if they want them.

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Charter standards

!   If people have lots of health problems we will ask for a health co-ordinator

!  We will tell people with learning disabilities, their families and staff about this charter

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How does the charter work

!  Charter statement

!  Why it is important

!  Case study

!  Resources and practical tips

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Next steps

!  Over 90 providers signed up

!  Plan to follow up in 11 months time

!  What else would be helpful?

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Thank you!

www.ndti.org.uk

@NDTiSue

ndti.org.uk