Learning Disability

The Northern Cancer Alliance work closely with the North East and Cumbria Learning Disability Network. We aim to reduce the inequalities faced by people with a learning disability in understanding, access and outcomes.

What is a learning disability?

Valuing People, the 2001 White Paper on the health and social care of people with learning disabilities, included the following definition of learning disabilities:

Learning disability includes the presence of:

• a significantly reduced ability to understand new or complex information, to learn new skills (impaired intelligence), with;
• a reduced ability to cope independently (impaired social functioning);
• which started before adulthood, with a lasting effect on development.

A working definition of Learning Disabilities – Eric Emerson and Pauline Heslop

Learning disability organisations

Mencap

Mencap is the leading voice of learning disability. Mencap are passionate about changing the world for everyone with a learning disability. Everything they do is about valuing and supporting people with a learning disability, and their families and carers.

Mencap’s v