Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to expand community-based support to accommodate people with learning disabilities placed in hospital in a way that supports skills and work readiness, and is overseen by trained professionals.

We expect everyone in an inpatient setting to have a care plan, including, where appropriate, a discharge plan for them to move to community-based support. The assessment of people’s needs should include their health and care needs as well as other issues including their ability to benefit from education, training and employment.

The Department of Health and the Department for Work and Pensions are working closely to ensure that everyone with a learning disability, including those in a hospital setting, get appropriate support to fulfil their potential. We have already held several seminars aimed at those with a lived experience of learning disability to understand both the barriers to work and what might help. A further seminar is being hosted by British Institute for Learning Disability in September. Outcomes from these seminars will contribute to the development of a plan to improve support towards employment.