Overview

This bill mandates a comprehensive review of access to healthcare and other services for adults and children with learning disabilities in England. The review will examine service adequacy, quality, accessibility, and compliance with equality duties, investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on these services, and consider the creation of a statutory code of practice on the public sector equality duty regarding learning disabilities.

Description

The bill requires the Secretary of State to conduct a public consultation reviewing access to services for individuals with learning disabilities, their families, and carers. This consultation will assess:

• The adequacy, quality, extent, and accessibility of services.
• Whether local authorities and NHS bodies are meeting the public sector equality duty and providing adequate training.
• Efforts to address health inequalities faced by this group.
• Progress toward the objectives of the Building the Right Support program.
• The sufficiency of learning disability nursing provision.
• Compliance with the Care Act 2014 and the Children and Families Act 2014.
• Accessibility and adequacy of government services, including communications and website design.
• The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on service provision and excess deaths.

The consultation must be co-chaired by individuals with learning disabilities. A report outlining the consultation's findings and the government's proposed improvements will be published and presented to Parliament within six months of the bill's enactment.

Government Spending

The bill doesn't specify direct government spending figures. The cost will depend on the scope of the review, the implementation of recommendations arising from the review, and any subsequent policy changes.

Groups Affected

• Adults and children with learning disabilities: Will benefit from improved access to services and potentially a more inclusive service delivery.
• Families and carers of individuals with learning disabilities: Will experience improved support and potentially reduced burden.
• Local authorities: Will be subject to review of their service provision and may need to make changes to meet the requirements of the bill.
• NHS bodies: Will be similarly reviewed and potentially required to implement changes to their service delivery.
• Government departments: Will be responsible for conducting the review, publishing the report and implementing any necessary changes.

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