Welsh Government confirms re-start of its learning disability Improving Lives programme/Mae Llywodra
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As part of our service commitment, we share the information below - a joint press release from Learning Disability Wales.
The Minister and Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services have announced the re-start of the Welsh Government’s Improving Lives programme for people with a learning disability, which has been paused for six months due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The announcement was made in a letter from Julie Morgan, Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services, to Humie Webbe and Sophie Hinksman, Co-Chairs of the Learning Disability Ministerial Advisory Group. In the letter the Deputy Minister says:
“As you will know from the First Minister’s statement on 22 September, we are still in a very challenging situation as we try to manage the spread of this dreadful virus. Nonetheless, the Health Minister and I are agreed we must re-start the programme with a focus on those actions that will help address the most critical concerns around health inequalities, premature deaths, quality of life, anxiety and isolation; the aim being to support individuals and their families/carers to live as well as possible in the continuing challenges of the pandemic. I have asked my officials to work with you, other external stakeholders, health boards and local authorities to restart work immediately.”
Focused areas
The Welsh Government have provided more detail of this focussed work, as well as the rationale for each:
1. Taking forward the health actions linked to health board recovery plans
Rationale: “It has long been recognised that people with learning disability are often subject to more health inequalities than the wider population, and they are more vulnerable to preventable illnesses than the general population. This includes respiratory illnesses, diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease. People with learning disability die earlier and more often of respiratory illnesses than people in the general population. Evidence from the Learning Disabilities Mortality Review (LeDeR) in England suggests 40% of deaths of people with learning disability are attributed to pneumonia. The incidence of obesity and diabetes is also higher in this population. Taken together, people with learning disability are likely to be particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 with three times the level of mortality than that of the general population.”
2. Taking forward social care actions linked to Local Authority recovery plans
3. Reducing Restrictive Practice and Positive Behavioural Support
4. Education – meeting the needs of learning disabled children and young people as they return to education
Rationale: “Third sector partners are reporting increasing anxiety and isolation amongst the learning disability population and their families and an increasing occurrence of challenging behaviour which families are forced to manage on their own. There is a strong feeling amongst families, carers and individuals with a learning disability that their voice has been lost during the pandemic and that decisions are being made without considering the impact on this group. Examples provided by stakeholders include, the issue of key Covid-19 statements and guidance without “easy read” versions, move to cashless payments – many individuals with a learning disability are unable to access debit/credit cards. A particular concern has been expressed at Local Authority decisions about removing grant aid, re-modelling or abolishing day services without involving and working with stakeholders.”
Learning Disability Wales welcomes re-start of Improving Lives
Zoe Richards, Chief Executive of Learning Disability Wales, said: “We welcome the announcement from Welsh Government that the Improving Lives programme will re-start with immediate effect.
“Before the pandemic people with a learning disability already faced huge health inequalities and we are pleased to see that this will be a priority area for the programme. We also welcome the emphasis on school age children and supporting their education programme.
“We look forward to continuing to support this work through our many programmes and projects at Learning Disability Wales and also through the Learning Disability Consortium which includes All Wales People First, All Wales Parents and Carers Forum, Cymorth Cymru, Downs Syndrome Association, Mencap Cymru and ourselves.”
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Fel rhan o'n hymrwymiad gwasanaeth, rydyn ni'n rhannu'r wybodaeth isod - datganiad i'r wasg ar y cyd gan mae Anabledd Dysgu Cymru.
Mae’r Gweindog a’r Dirprwy Weinidog dros Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol wedi cyhoeddi ail-ddechrau rhaglen Llywodraeth Cymru Gwella Bywydau Pobl ag Anabledd Dysgu a gafodd ei hoedi am chwe mis oherwydd pandemig Covid-19.
Fe’i gyhoeddwyd mewn llythyr gan Julie Morgan, y Dirprwy Weinidog dros Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol, at Humie Webbe a Sophie Hinksman, Cyd-Gadeiryddion Grŵp Cynghori’r Gweinidog dros Anabledd Dysgu. Yn y llythyr, mae’r Dirprwy Weinidog yn dweud:
“Fel y gwyddoch o ddatganiad y Prif Weinidog ar 22 Medi, Rydym yn dal mewn sefyllfa heriol iawn wrth i ni geisio rheoli lledaeniad y feirws ofnadwy hwn. Beth bynnag, mae’r Gweinidog Iechyd a finnau yn cytuno bod rhaid i ni ail-ddechrau’r rhaglen gyda ffocws ar y gweithrediadau hynny a fydd yn helpu wynebu y pryderon pwysicaf am anghydraddoldebau iechyd, marwolaethau cyn pryd, ansawdd bywyd, pryder ac unigrwydd; y nod yw cefnogi unigolion a’u teuluoedd/gofalwyr i fyw cystal â phosib trwy heriau parhaus y pandemig. Yr wyf wedi gofyn i’m swyddogion weithio gyda chi, rhanddeiliaid allanol eraill, byrddau iechyd ac awdurdodau lleol i ail-ddechrau gweithio’n syth.”
Ardaloedd â ffocws
Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi darparu mwy o fanylion am y gwaith hwn â ffocws, yn ogystal â'r rhesymeg dros bob un:
1. Symud ymlaen â'r camau iechyd sy'n gysylltiedig â chynlluniau adfer bwrdd iechyd
Rhesymeg: “Cydnabuwyd ers amser maith bod pobl ag anabledd dysgu yn aml yn destun mwy o anghydraddoldebau iechyd na'r boblogaeth ehangach, ac maent yn fwy agored i salwch y gellir ei atal na'r boblogaeth gyffredinol. Mae hyn yn cynnwys salwch anadlol, diabetes, gordewdra a chlefyd cardiofasgwlaidd. Mae pobl ag anabledd dysgu yn marw yn gynharach ac yn amlach o salwch anadlol na phobl yn y boblogaeth yn gyffredinol. Mae tystiolaeth o'r Adolygiad Marwolaethau Anableddau Dysgu (LeDeR) yn Lloegr yn awgrymu bod 40% o farwolaethau pobl ag anabledd dysgu yn cael eu priodoli i niwmonia. Mae nifer yr achosion o ordewdra a diabetes hefyd yn uwch yn y boblogaeth hon. Gyda'i gilydd, mae pobl ag anabledd dysgu yn debygol o fod yn arbennig o agored i COVID-19 gyda thair gwaith lefel y marwolaethau na lefel y boblogaeth yn gyffredinol. ”
2. Cymryd camau gofal cymdeithasol sy'n gysylltiedig â chynlluniau adfer Awdurdod Lleol
3. Lleihau Ymarfer Cyfyngol a Chefnogaeth Ymddygiadol Gadarnhaol
4. Addysg - diwallu anghenion plant a phobl ifanc ag anableddau dysgu wrth iddynt ddychwelyd i addysg
Rhesymeg: “Mae partneriaid y trydydd sector yn nodi pryder ac arwahanrwydd cynyddol ymhlith y boblogaeth anableddau dysgu a'u teuluoedd a mwy a mwy o ymddygiad heriol y mae teuluoedd yn cael eu gorfodi i'w reoli ar eu pennau eu hunain. Mae yna deimlad cryf ymhlith teuluoedd, gofalwyr ac unigolion ag anabledd dysgu bod eu llais wedi'i golli yn ystod y pandemig a bod penderfyniadau'n cael eu gwneud heb ystyried yr effaith ar y grŵp hwn. Ymhlith yr enghreifftiau a ddarperir gan randdeiliaid mae mater datganiadau a chanllawiau Covid-19 allweddol heb fersiynau “hawdd eu darllen”, symud i daliadau heb arian parod - mae llawer o unigolion ag anabledd dysgu yn methu â chael gafael ar gardiau debyd / credyd. Mynegwyd pryder penodol ym mhenderfyniadau’r Awdurdod Lleol ynghylch dileu cymorth grant, ail-fodelu neu ddileu gwasanaethau dydd heb gynnwys a gweithio gyda rhanddeiliaid."
Mae Anabledd Dysgu Cymru yn croesawu ail-ddechrau Gwella Bywydau
Dywedodd Zoe Richards, Prif Weithredwr Anabledd Dysgu Cymru: “Rydym yn croesawu’r cyhoeddiad gan Lywodraeth Cymru y bydd y rhaglen Gwella Bywydau yn ail-ddechrau ar unwaith.
“Cyn i’r bobl bandemig ag anabledd dysgu wynebu anghydraddoldebau iechyd enfawr eisoes ac rydym yn falch o weld y bydd hwn yn faes blaenoriaeth i’r rhaglen. Rydym hefyd yn croesawu'r pwyslais ar blant oed ysgol a chefnogi eu rhaglen addysg.
“Rydym yn edrych ymlaen at barhau i gefnogi’r gwaith hwn trwy ein nifer o raglenni a phrosiectau yn Anabledd Dysgu Cymru a hefyd drwy’r Consortiwm Anabledd Dysgu sy’n cynnwys Cymru Pobl yn Gyntaf, Fforwm Rhieni a Gofalwyr Cymru Gyfan, Cymorth Cymru, Cymdeithas Syndrom Downs, Mencap Cymru a ninnau. ”
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