We are pleased to support Paul Ridd Foundation’s campaign and petition to make learning disability training to hospital staff mandatory. Yesterday ITV Wales News visited Paul Ridd Foundation to support their work. Our new Chief Executive Officer, Martyn Jones was interviewed and gave Learning Disability Wales’ views.
ITV Wales news 1 August 2018: 6pm please listen from 55s to 3m 50s: see here
Paul Ridd was Jayne and Jonathon’s brother. He had severe learning disabilities and died in Morriston Hospital in 2009. The Public Services Ombudsmen report into the circumstances leading to Paul’s death said that neglect, lack of training and ignorance were contributory factors leading to Paul’s death. Paul Ridd Foundation call on Welsh Government to ensure all healthcare professionals get mandatory training to address the huge health inequalities facing people with autism and a learning disability.
Jayne and Jonathon have worked tirelessly to improve the hospital care and treatment that people with a learning disability receive. There have been improvements such as the care bundle, the hospital logo, champions and training.
Jayne said ‘there is a lack of training and awareness from hospital staff as some staff don’t understand what a learning disability is’.
Martyn Jones, Chief Executive Officer of Learning Disability Wales is pleased to support the campaign and petition and added in his interview ‘there are stories of young people who are being removed from GP lists. This can be about surgery staff not understanding that the person has a learning disability and a fear being generated from their behaviour’. This is unacceptable in 2018′
They now call for learning disability training to be mandatory so that ALL staff from porters and receptionists to nurses and Doctors know what to do.
Please sign the petition here and spread the word. They want to collect 10,000 signatures.
https://www.assembly.wales/…/e-p…/Pages/petitiondetail.aspx…
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