Updates on Learning Disability Partnership Board – May 2025
The Learning Disability Partnership Board (LDPB) brings together different organisations and agencies – with the aim to improve services for people with learning disabilities who live in Brighton and Hove. Below here are updates from the last Board meeting, which took place at the beginning of May.
Brighton and Hove Speak Out and The Link Group
Brighton and Hove Speak Out and The Link Group plan and chair the Learning Disability Partnership Board as part of the work they do for the council. A rep from PaCC attends the LDPB, alongside officers from Brighton and Hove City Council (BHCC), NHS officers, Grace Eyre, The Carers Centre, Amazing Futures and other stakeholders.
Speak Out’s Link group gave an update on their work, click here to find out more. The Link group are a group of adults age 18+, they listen to what people with learning disabilities say at focus groups and feedback their views to the Council – ‘we let the Council know what people think so that they can improve things for people with learning disabilities.’ The Link Group meets every two weeks, Tuesdays from 10.30am to 12.30pm at Speak Out Office, The Brighthelm Centre, North Road, Brighton, BN1 1YD . If you think this group may interest your young person please email [email protected]
LeDer Report
Also at the Learning Disability Partnership Board held at the beginning of May, the meeting attendees listened to a presentation from Abby Lonsdale regarding the Sussex wide LeDeR report, which you can read here – please be warned many people may find the content of this report upsetting.
LeDeR is the name for Learning from the Lives and Deaths of People with a Learning Disability and Autistic People. PaCC believe that everyone has the right to good health, getting the care you need is very important. The report is about people with learning disabilities and autistic people who died in Sussex from April 2023 until April 2024. It finds out why people with a learning disability or autistic people have died and it suggests improvements in care. There is also a national LeDeR website, you can find out more about it here
PaCC are aware that young adults with Learning Disabilities must have access to the necessary support across education, health and social care to ensure the best long term health outcomes for all adults with a Learning Disability. Sussex NHS has created a useful guide for parent carers of young people with a Learning Disability approaching 18 or over 18. Do take a look at the support guide and please feel free to send us any feedback that we can forward onto the NHS.
PaCC acknowledge that access to opportunities to socialise, join sports and leisure activities, plus access to some areas of health and education provision can be difficult for families to achieve for their young people. Please do contact us with any questions or feedback at [email protected]
Learning Disability Liaison team
The LDPB also heard a presentation from Richard Stevenson, Brighton & Hove City Council Pod manager 25+, you can read the presentation here.
Richard introduced some of the staff members of the Learning Disability Liaison team and talked about how adults with Learning Disability can make sure they get the right help and support ahead of going into hospital and when in hospital. Richard informed the meeting attendees that there had been a lot of upheaval in this team, and the team has had vacant posts. Richard said the team is now more resourced, and that they will be undertaking a moving on plan which they will carry out and liaise with the Speak Outs, Thumbs Up and Link Up group for feedback.
Richard acknowledged that the work undertaken by the Learning Disability Liaison Team to date has taken place with the Royal Sussex hospital; he also acknowledged that there is not as yet an equitable offer with the Princess Royal in Haywards Heath but the team are working to improve this.
Following the presentation, PaCC have emailed Richard Stevenson asking him for more information for parent carers on:
- Is the Learning Disability Liaison team running now at full capacity?
- Can parent carers have more information on Mental Health support for adults with Learning Disability accessing hospital appointments and procedures?
- How is young people’s Mental Capacity assessed, what do families need to know?
- How can families get a health passport for their young person?
PaCC will publish more information from the LDPB on the our website. On the meantime, for any questions or feedback, please email [email protected]