A support system and network of NHS organisations to increase the number of people with learning disabilities in NHS employment has been launched by Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England.
To mark Learning Disability Week, Stevens said that NHS England and NHS Employers will develop anational network over the next few months for all NHS organisations.
This aims to provide advice, ideas and momentum to remove barriers and will start to be developed over the next few months.
Stevens said: “The NHS family is the biggest employer in the country, and one of the largest in the world. Listening to what people with learning disabilities say about how they want to lead their own lives, now we want to expand the number of NHS employers who successfully harness the talents, expertise and experience of people with learning disabilities.”
Paul Wallace, director of employment relations and reward at the NHS Employers, said that while many organisations have made really good progress, there is more that can be achieved across the NHS as a whole.
“By teaming up with NHS England to push this agenda further I am confident that we can achieve real wins for NHS organisations, for patients and for people with learning disabilities,” he said.
