£96 million boost to improve healthcare and employment prospects for those with learning disabilities

People with learning disabilities are to benefit from £96million in Government funding that will help provide them with better healthcare, community support and employment prospects, Care Services Minister Ivan Lewis announced yesterday (Thursday 7 August).
The new £96m of revenue funding, ring-fenced for three years from 2008/09 until 2010/11, will pay for costs incurred as a result of people with learning disabilities moving from campuses to housing in the community.

This will include support for health action planning, workforce training and development, advocacy support for more inclusive community based activities and help to get people into employment.

This follows on from the £175million announced last year for Primary Care Trusts to help with the capital costs of closing institutional NHS accommodation and providing more appropriate community arrangements for those with learning disabilities.

The Government believes this new and improved accommodation will give people the opportunity to develop important social skills and the freedom to make everyday decisions.

Ivan Lewis said: "This funding opens the door to a better way of life for hundreds of people with learning disabilities, who will now be able to integrate into communities across the country, while given high quality support to lead a full life as equal citizens.

"We are providing funding for both PCTs and local authorities to help close inappropriate NHS accommodation and to support people with learning disabilities make the transition to the community a smooth one. I am proud that Government has been able to help make it happen."

Anne Williams, the new National Director for Learning Disabilities, said: "This is excellent news for people with learning disabilities. It will enable many more people to live in their own homes in local communities, supported to get good health care. More choice, employment and volunteering opportunities and social and leisure activities will all come from this new development."

The package means that by 2010 up to 1,800 people, (692 in 2008/9 alone) will be helped to move out of institutional NHS accommodation and into housing in the community where they will be supported to live independently and make decisions for themselves.

Before leaving the NHS campus each person will be individually assessed and given a 'person centred care plan' to ensure they will continue to receive the correct support in their new way of living.