Learning Disability Today
Blue Sky Offices Shoreham
25 Cecil Pashley Way
Shoreham-by-Sea
West Sussex
BN43 5FF
United Kingdom
T: 01273 434943
Contacts
Alison Bloomer
Managing Editor
[email protected]
[email protected]
A new project will examine the implications of Prevention of Future Deaths Reports for social and health care support and services for people with learning disabilities.
Prevention of Future Deaths Reports are official warnings issued by coroners in England and Wales following an inquest when they believe action is needed to prevent similar deaths.
It is well documented that people with learning disabilities have a shorter life expectancy and a higher risk of early death than the general population. However, when people with a learning disability die early, they are less likely to have an inquest into their deaths.
- Further reading: Analysis of Prevention of Future Deaths Reports: Implications for Social Care and Health Care Support and Services for Learning Disabled People
The new award from the NIHR School for Social Care Research will examine the content of Prevention of Future Deaths Reports issued following the deaths of people with learning disabilities, with the aim of understanding which concerns coroners highlight that need to be addressed to prevent others from dying.
The work will be led by Dr George Julian, supported by Professor David Abbott at the University of Bristol and Professors Sara Ryan and Chris Hatton at Manchester Metropolitan University, in collaboration with learning-disabled people, bereaved relatives, social and health care organisations, lawyers and activists. The project will run from February 2026 to March 2027.
Related Posts
Identify learning from the Prevention of Future Deaths Reports
Prevention of Future Death Reports are sent to any person or organisation with the power to make changes, such as NHS Trusts, care homes and local authorities.
The researchers say that, because Prevention of Future Death Reports are directed only at specific organisations, not the wider health and social care system, social care and health services operate without the benefit of these warnings.
This exploratory, one year project will:
- Collect together all the Prevention of Future Deaths Reports issued following the deaths of learning disabled people since 2013 and look at what the Prevention of Future Deaths Reports say about the lives and deaths of learning disabled people.
- Identify learning for those working in social care and health services from the reports.
- Work with people with learning disabilities and bereaved relatives to ensure key learning is shared widely.
- Work with the public and practitioners to understand their priorities and the most useful ways to share the learning from the project, and to produce outputs that outline what needs to happen to improve practice.
Dr Julian said: “This very necessary award will allow Prevention of Future Deaths Reports to be analysed and the warnings and learning within them to be shared with those in social care and health services who can take steps to prevent learning disabled people dying premature and preventable deaths.”
