Draft Learning Disability Strategy Consultation

We asked for residents’ views on the Draft Learning Disability Strategy 2022-2027. This consultation was part of a much longer engagement period; the purpose was to validate what stakeholders had told us and check that the draft strategy reflected this.

There was support for the strategy and its priorities, while the feedback also emphasised the importance of having an overall delivery plan in place so as to ensure implementation of the key priorities.

Key themes which were incorporated into the final strategy are set out below.

The strategy was updated to reflect the consultation feedback, and a final version was adopted by the People Committee in December 2021. There were no material changes to the strategy as a result of the consultation - however we did make some small amendments and added emphasis to some areas as set out below:

• Emphasising the link between Education and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) services and the transition to adulthood in the strategy.

• Strengthening the wording around families and carers to emphasise the vital role they play.

• Making it clearer that the section of the strategy about respite includes the needs of people with people with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities (PMLD).

• Emphasising the importance of paid employment and the opportunity to consider how unpaid roles could develop into paid employment.

• Including the acronym STOMP (Stop The Over Medication of People) when we talk about reducing unnecessary medication (reflecting the national NHS agenda).

• Including the GP Champion in the foreword of the strategy, to emphasise the key role played by GPs.

We are developing a comprehensive plan with a series of workstreams to deliver the strategy. Progress will be overseen through relevant Council and partnership governance and reported back to the People Committee at least annually.