Death by indifference: 74 deaths and counting a progress report 5 years on

Monograph

36 p.; 30 cm

<span style="font-size: 8pt; color: #333333;">In March 2007, Mencap published ‘Death by indifference’, which reported the death of 6 people with learning disability as a result of failings in the NHS. This report triggered an independent inquiry ‘Healthcare for all’ which set out 10 key recommendations, all of which were accepted by the government. This report looks at what progress has been made since these publications. It confirms that, although some positive steps have been taken, many health professionals are still failing to provide adequate care to people with a learning disability. It describes the deaths of 74 people with a learning disability in NHS care over the last 10 years believed to be as a direct result of institutional discrimination. It highlights an NHS that continues to fail people with a learning disability, doctors whose practices appear to show no regard to the Equality Act or Mental Capacity Act, and nurses who fail to provide even basic nursing care to people with a learning disability. The report calls on the government to ensure that people with a learning disability receive the same quality of care as the rest of the population. Among the recommendations are for: annual health checks to become a permanent part of the GP contract; all health professionals to get training around the Equality Act and Mental Capacity Act; regulatory bodies to conduct rigorous investigations and deliver appropriate sanctions; and a standard hospital passport for all people with a learning disability.</span>