Abstract
Background Since the 1990s reports have consistently highlighted health inequalities faced by people with learning disabilities. Data from the Primary Care Research Database suggests an all-cause standardised mortality ratio for people with learning disabilities of 3.18, and that people with learning disabilities die approximately 20 years sooner than people without learning disabilities.
Aim This presentation will provide an overview of the Learning Disabilities Mortality Review (LeDeR) programme. LeDeR aims to contribute to improvements in the quality of health and social care for people with learning disabilities in England through retrospective mortality reviews.
Method Initial reviews are undertaken of all deaths notified to the LeDeR programme of people with learning disabilities aged 4 years and over. Where indicated, a full multiagency review is conducted. Deaths of young people aged 18–24, and of people from Black and Minority Ethnic communities are subject to priority themed review; each of these receive a full multiagency review.
Results The LeDeR programme will be fully rolled out across England by the end of 2017. In this presentation we will share some of the learning from reviews that are particularly pertinent to GPs, and some of the service improvements that have resulted.
Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the first national programme of mortality reviews of people with learning disabilities in the world. Its focus is service improvement: it is about learning lessons and making changes to improve the lives of, and support for people with learning disabilities.
- © British Journal of General Practice 2018