The Duchess of Edinburgh stepped out to show support for one of her long-standing patronages on Wednesday, a day after she donned overalls to visit HMS Daring in Portsmouth.
Sophie, 58, attended learning disability charity Mencap’s inaugural health inequalities summit at St Bartholomew’s Hospital to learn more about the healthcare inequalities faced by people with a learning disability.
The Duchess, who looked elegant for her outing in a satin blouse with a snake print midi skirt from Emilia Wickstead, has been the charity’s royal patron for nearly 20 years.
The mum-of-two ran the first 1.5 miles of the virtual London Marathon in Windsor in 2020 in support of the charity.
Health leaders and campaigners came together at the summit to talk about life expectancy, avoidable deaths, and other barriers people with a learning disability face accessing healthcare.
Sophie heard from NHS Chief Executive Amanda Pritchard, Mencap Chair Dame Carolyn Fairbairn, and campaigners like Cath Horbury who spoke about the benefits of annual health checks.
Paula McGowan also spoke passionately about her work campaigning for mandatory training for health and social care staff following the death of her son Oliver. The Duchess then met Treat Me Well campaigners and people involved in the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training.
Mencap’s Treat Me Well campaign – which launched in February 2018 – has aimed to transform how the NHS treats people with a learning disability.
While some progress has been made, last year’s Learning Disability Mortality Review showed the appalling level of premature mortality and avoidable deaths experienced by people with a learning disability; on average people with a learning disability die 25 years younger than the general population and 49% of deaths of people with a learning disability were judged avoidable, compared to 22% for the general population.
Dame Carolyn Fairbairn, chair, of the Royal Mencap Society said: “Health inequalities cannot be ignored. People with a learning disability have a right to access good quality and timely care that meets their needs and helps support them to live happy and healthy lives.Â
“We hope today’s inaugural Health Inequalities Summit is the first step on the road to working together to deliver a shared plan to tackle the shocking levels of premature death and health inequalities that people with a learning disability continue to face.”
Treat Me Well campaigner and summit attendee Michelle Ornstein said:Â “I am part of a group of people with a learning disability that promotes annual health checks and encourages people to sign up to the learning disability register.
“I feel very strongly that other people with a learning disability need to know what a difference some small steps can make to their lives. It was very special to meet The Duchess of Edinburgh and see everyone working together to make changes.”
