The challenge
Life expectancy for people in LLR with a learning disability was 59 years, which is well below both the LLR and national average. People were not accessing health services early, leading to faster disease progression and unmanaged illness, and ultimately earlier mortality. This also had a significant impact on the health of carers and family members.
The solution
We established system-wide agreement that raising this life expectancy should be apriority for the whole ICB. Public health, community providers, primary care providers and local government services worked together to understand why this was happening and identify the barriers to access and the adverse events leading to poor outcomes.
We designed and implemented a health check service, focussed on areas of deprivation and inequity.
Impact
Within 2 years of programme launch, life expectancy had risen to 61 years of age and continues to rise.
