How many more lives will it take?

This BBC article outlines yet another report and condemnation of the dreadful discrimination, neglect and indifference experienced by people with learning disabilities in relation to health services. These issues aren't new. Speak to a good learning disability nurse or social worker (and there are many of them) and they will tell you that they have been trying to raise these issues for decades. Talk to any organisation of people with learning disabilities and they will tell you that they have been campaigning on these issues for decades.

People with learning disabilities face some of the most insidious forms of discrimination where society denies them a voice. The only way I can see that change will happen and make a difference is if we all begin to spend time with, listen to and involve people with learning disabilities in every day life. In their lives and society at large.

When I worked for the GLA I got Ken Livingstone, Peter Hendy (then Head of Buses, now Head of TfL) and leading Met Police officials to sit down and listen to and talk with people with learning difficulties and that was the only way to get the ball rolling and for the officials to take learning disability seriously. It worked while these conversations were happening, but they need to be sustained and they need to become common practice.