Mike Hedges welcomes Learning Disability Action Plan

Mike Hedges welcomes Learning Disability Action Plan

Speaking from the Senedd, Local Swansea East MS  Mike Hedges said… I welcome the launch of this action plan which sets out to confirm and build in to the delivery of Welsh Government services, the right of people with a Learning Disability to a normal pattern of life within their local communities.

I am pleased to see the priorities include equal access to health care – it is not that long ago that people with a learning difficulties would have faced terrible discrimination accessing health care and treatments because of their disability – I hope that this strategy confirms that people with Learning Difficulties have equal access to Health Care.

When I Chaired the Petitions Committee several years ago, I met the family of Paul Ridd who past away in Morriston Hospital in 2009. His family have campaigned since then to ensure that people with Learning Disabilities do not face discrimination in relation to accessing treatment and care in Hospitals. I hope that they see the commitments in this strategy as a vindication of their Campaign and a significant stepping stone to achieving better Health outcomes for people with Learning Difficulties.

Learning Disability Strategic Action Plan 2022-2026

This action plan sets out the Welsh Government’s overarching strategic agenda for the development and implementation of learning disability policy for the remainder of the current term of government, 2022 to 2026. An accompanying delivery plan is being developed which contains specific actions with timelines for each commitment. Co-produced with Welsh Government policy leads, the Learning Disability Ministerial Advisory Group (LDMAG) and key stakeholder partners during a targeted stakeholder engagement exercise in early 2022, this action plan identifies and prioritises the key areas, actions and outcomes that will be pursued over this period. Building on the success and the momentum of the Improving Lives programme, the action plan aligns fully with Welsh Government Programme for Government commitments and the principles and objectives set out in the Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act. It incorporates Improving Lives legacy actions. Key issues identified by the LDMAG in their Policy Priorities report submitted to the Welsh Government in May 2021 and priority actions focussing on helping services and people with learning disabilities as we continue to emerge from ongoing pandemic restrictions are clear.

The action plan (and associated delivery plan) is a living document and will be updated to reflect any changes to priorities and circumstances as they arise. It is designed to be flexible and contains actions that can reasonably be expected to be achieved given the ongoing focus on pandemic recovery and limits on available resources.

It is not intended that these plans be a complete record of all policies affecting people with a learning disability. Neither does inclusion of a specific area in the initial plan indicate that another area is considered less important, e.g. Section 1.3 outlines initial focus on tackling an identified issue in relation to the provision of policy affecting the Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic Community, this does not mean that policies affecting people with other protected characteristics (such as the LGBTQ+ community) are not important, just that they are not being taken forward during this phase of the plan. LDMAG will oversee progress in delivery of the action plan through receipt of annual progress reports while a formal review of the plan will be undertaken at the end of the second full year, in spring 2024. Priority Areas

• Overarching/ cross-cutting; including cross-government activity that may not sit in one specific area
• Covid recovery
• Health; including reducing health inequalities and avoidable deaths
• Social Services and social care