Why Mencap and Wes Streeting’s Call to GPs Matters for Our Community

Photo taken from the Mencap website: www.mencap.org.uk

Families across East London and Essex often tell us the same thing, sometimes quietly over a cup of tea at a Wednesday Club: getting good healthcare should not be this hard. Yet for many people with a learning disability, it often is.

That’s why the recent joint letter from Mencap and Health Secretary Wes Streeting is so important. Together, they are calling on every GP practice in the country to make sure people with a learning disability are added to their surgery’s register and receive a proper annual health check.

For many of our members, this could be life-changing.

What the letter says

The message to GP practices is clear:

• Find people who should be on the learning disability register

• Record them properly, without needing a formal diagnosis

• Offer annual health checks and accessible health action plans

• Understand each person’s reasonable adjustments

The letter highlights what many of us already know from lived experience. People with a learning disability are still dying 19.5 years younger than the general population, and too many of those deaths are avoidable.

As a community charity, we see the reality of those inequalities every day. Parents sitting in waiting rooms for hours. Adults whose health problems are missed because appointments feel rushed. Families trying to explain, again and again, how their loved one communicates.

The letter also makes an important point: many people who should be on the register are not, particularly autistic people or people with mild learning disabilities, and especially those from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds. That mirrors what our own families tell us on a regular basis.

To read the open letter or sign it, please visit: https://www.mencap.org.uk/resource/how-general-practice-can-ensure-better-outcomes-people-learning-disability

Why this matters for CFDN

Annual health checks are not just a tick-box exercise. When done well, they can:

• catch health problems early

• offer extra support like cancer screening and vaccinations

• help GPs understand communication needs

• create a simple, clear health plan families can rely on

We regularly support families who struggle to navigate the system. Our Advocacy Service has seen how powerful it is when a GP understands someone properly, listens, and makes the adjustments they need. It turns a stressful experience into one where the person feels safe, respected and included.

"The work Mencap is leading right now is vital, and I want to encourage every one of our families, volunteers and supporters to add their name and stand with them. When we spoke with Sir Iain Duncan Smith recently, it was clear that change only happens when our community speaks together, not when charities like ours try to push alone.

Our own surveys show the reality. 73% of our members are asking for more social opportunities, and 40% of parents and carers say they need much better support from local services. Behind those numbers are real people who are still fighting to be heard, still facing barriers that shouldn’t be there in 2025.

By supporting Mencap’s work and raising awareness together, we help make sure that the voices of disabled people and their families aren’t ignored. Collective action gives us strength. It tells policymakers that the inequalities our community faces cannot be brushed aside.

So please, add your name, share the message, and help us stand with thousands of families across the country. Change feels possible when we do it together." — Dan Ruscoe, CEO, CFDN

What families can do

If someone you care for is not on their GP’s learning disability register, you can ask for them to be added. You do not need to wait for a diagnosis. If you need help, our Advocate or your local CFDN group can support you.

A step towards fairness

We appreciate Mencap and Wes Streeting’s leadership on this. Their message echoes what charities like CFDN have been saying for a long time: disabled people deserve equal healthcare, not healthcare that works only for those who can navigate a complex system.

This is a moment where policy lines up with the everyday reality of our community. It doesn’t fix everything, but it is a shift in the right direction. And as always, we will keep standing alongside our families to make sure the system keeps moving forward, not backwards.

If you have questions about annual health checks, or would like support preparing for one, please reach out to our advocacy service at advocacy@cfdn.org.uk or speak to your local GP surgery.