Tory shame as disabled people ‘are dying early’
THE Tories are failing disabled people, with some dying 20 years earlier than the average person, a damning report warns today.
Experts said 1,200 premature deaths of people with learning disabilities every year were the “direct result of a political choice”.
The Institute of Health Equity said it was “staggering” that 40% of people with learning disabilities are not identified in childhood.
Professor Michael Marmot said: “This is an avoidable sign of a society failing to be fair to its most vulnerable members.
“This is a direct result of a political choice that destines this vulnerable group to experience some of the worst of what society offers – low incomes, no work, poor housing, social isolation, bullying and abuse.”
Households with children who have a disability are also twice as likely to be living in accommodation that is too cold in winter.
The IHE wants action on poverty, poor housing, discrimination and bullying. It said Walgreens, the US pharmacy chain, had found employees with mental disabilities were equally productive and had fewer accidents than other workers.
A NHS England spokesman said it commissioned and funded the independent report to “find the factors which need tackling”.