“Healthy Lives Together” - Learning Disability Professional Senate Listen & Learn Event, 2026

On the 18th September 2026, the Learning Disability Professional Senate hosted its second Listen and Learn event, “Healthy Lives Together: Listening and Learning to Improve Health for Children, Young People and Adults with a Learning Disability”, in collaboration with the Challenging Behaviour Foundation.

Watch the full recording here: 

Co-chairs Dr Ashok Roy OBE and Viki Baker welcomed people with lived experience, health professionals, policymakers and researchers to explore innovative and practical ways to reduce health inequalities, learn about best practice and discuss how to sustain and improve co-production with people with learning disabilities and their families in the current challenging delivery context. 

Attendees heard national updates from representatives from the 4 nations, alongside presentations on three broad themes: 

1. Prevention and health promotion initiatives 

1. Living and staying well in the Community 

1. Technology and Digital Innovations to make healthcare more accessible for people with a learning disability, reduce the digital divide and prevent exclusion of people with learning disabilities. 

Keynote speaker Professor Mary McCarron, Director of the Trinity Centre for Ageing and Intellectual Disability (TCAID), spoke on the IDS-TILDA study, “Unlocking the determinants of health and wellbeing for people with an intellectual disability as they age”. 

The event showcased a wide range of innovative initiatives aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of people with a learning disability. Whilst there was a wide variation in scope, clear themes emerged throughout the day highlighting the importance of early intervention and prevention, understanding individual needs and experiences, and collaborative and co-produced innovative approaches to health promotion. 

“Improving health outcomes for people with a learning disability requires us to think differently. People with a learning disability are more likely to experience multiple health conditions and often have needs that are not met by standard approaches to care. This means clinical experts must take the time to understand each person as an individual and work in partnership with people with learning disabilities, their families and carers to deliver personalised support. This opportunity to bring together lived experience, clinical expertise, research and innovation has highlighted the breadth of positive changes in services taking place across the country, and showcases the positive impact that true partnership working, early intervention and specialist innovation can have on improving health outcomes. The Learning Disability Professional Senate will continue to support the spread of good practice, and champion the voices of people with learning disabilities and their families.”

– Ashok Roy OBE, Co-Chair of the Learning Disability Professional Senate 

“Today was a wonderful celebration of innovation and best practice aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of people with a learning disability, who continue to face stark health inequalities. The work we heard about was truly inspiring. Several quotes from the day will really stay with me: “If you are missing from the data, you are missing from policy”; “It is us who are hard to reach, not our communities”; and “Just because it is difficult doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try.” We must never stop being shocked by the health inequalities people with a learning disability face. The Senate, together with our partners, will continue to do all it can to strengthen the voice and uphold the rights of people with a learning disability and their families.”

-Viki Baker, Co-Chair of the Learning Disability Professional Senate

“As a family carer I was truly inspired by the ‘Healthy Lives Together’ Event, not only did it highlight the great work that is going on to erase that gap in good medical care for those with a learning disability, but it showed us that these inequalities are still present throughout. As most families know for our young people to have any sort of invasive procedures can be truly distressing for them and as such, they may miss out on vital screening that can help detect medical issues. One such test is a Mammogram, and today I heard about the amazing bra that can be worn and will detect tumours of course it is still to be finalised but it gave me hope for the many ladies out there who will benefit from this life saving innovation.Many of the topics spoken about today show that there are many professional working hard to ensure our children/adults with learning disabilities are included and heard, being different doesn’t mean being ignored. The Senate event, brought a wealth of amazing people together ensuring that they will pave the way for a better future by removing the barriers that those with a learning disability face on a daily basis.”

-Kate Sanger, family carer & Challenging Behaviour Foundation Trustee 

To find out more about the work of the Learning Disability Professional Senate please click here.