Hampshire Learning Disability Partnership Board Representatives

Health Issues

Wednesday 9th January 2013

We talked to 143 people in Hampshire in our LIG areas

We have been finding out what people think and feel about health issues

Going to the doctors : good things

• Most people go to the doctors with somebody to support them (81%)

• Most people like their doctor (93%)

• Most people see the same doctor (73%)

• Most people think the care at their doctors is good (80%)

Going to the doctors : not good

• Nearly half of the people said their doctor spoke mainly to the person supporting them (44%)

• Some people had problems speaking to the receptionist

• People sometimes find automatic check ins difficult

Going to the dentist : good things

• Most people go to the dentist with somebody to support them (65%)

• Most people like their dentist (87%)

• Most people see the same dentist (84%)

• Most people think the care at their dentists is very good (94%)

Going to the dentist : not good

• Quite a lot of people said their dentist spoke mainly to the person supporting them (41%)

• Some people had problems speaking to the receptionist

• Some people don’t go to the dentist at all because they don’t like it - these were mainly people who are more independent

Staying in hospital

• A lot of people have had to stay in hospital (68%)

• Almost half of these stays were for emergencies (47%)

• Most people think the care they had in hospital was good (87%)

Ambulances

Everybody who had been in an ambulance said the ambulance staff had been excellent – they really helped them

Being looked after at home

• Some people did not have anybody to help them if they were ill during the night (20%)

• Some people did not have anybody to help them if they were ill during the day (20%)

Our Questions about health issues

• The work we have done has made us think a lot

• We found a lot of good things and some not so good things

• Here are some of the questions we have been asking:

Talking mainly to the person!

• It is good this is happening more than half the time

• It would be good if it happened all the time

• How can we make sure this happens?

Understanding!

• More than half say they understand their doctor

• Nearly half say they don’t always understand

• Sometimes people with learning difficulties do not realise that they do not understand

• How can we make sure people understand properly?

Dentists

• In one group 6 out of 7 people said they did not visit a dentist because they did not like it

• These were people with a mild learning disability who have less support

• How can we encourage these people to have dental treatment?

Hospitals: Why do so many people with learning disabilities need hospital treatment? (68%)

• Do we have more serious illnesses needing hospital treatment?

• Do we not receive treatment early enough in illnesses and end up needing hospital treatment?

• What can we do to make sure that people with learning disabilities get treated early in illnesses?