News Release, 14 September 2006
In response to the Disability Rights Commission’s report, ‘Equal Treatment: Closing the Gap’, Andrew McCulloch, Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foundation, today said;
“It is good that the Disability Rights Commission has put this issue more firmly on the agenda. We have known for many years that people with learning disabilities and people with mental health problems experience poor physical health, shorter life expectancy and poorer responses from the NHS.
“However, the DRC has missed the point that people with mental health problems and people with learning disabilities need a comprehensive and sensitive approach to protecting their health. Health promotion needs to start early in life to reduce the impact of known risk factors, and access to good quality primary and secondary health care must be improved. A five-minute consultation with a GP in many cases makes little difference.
“The DRC has missed the opportunity to tackle the right to good health care for people with mental health problems and people with learning disabilities. We need to couple much better and more tailored health promotion with improved training for clinical staff working with people with these disabilities. Too often prejudicial assumptions by staff lead to very real health needs being overlooked.
“Care co-ordinators or linkworkers and advocates can all have a key role in helping people with these disabilities to access health care. If the Government is serious about equal rights for health care it will need to be proactive in driving change.”
Read the Disability Rights Commission report, 'Equal Treatment: Closing the Gap' (on the DRC website)
Return to news releases 2006
Notes to editors
For further information and interview requests contact please contact the Press Office on 020 7803 1128 / 1130 or email the press office
The Mental Health Foundation is the leading UK charity working to improve services for both people with mental health problems and people with learning disabilities. It is the only charity to fund and work with both service users and providers and plays an important role in funding research and new approaches to prevention, treatment and care. The Foundation’s work includes allocating grants for research and community projects; contributing to the public debate; educating policy makers and healthcare professionals and striving to reduce the stigma attached to mental illness.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
