Rescare member, Duncan Drown, has written to tell us that, following the publication of a letter in The Times last year signed by the heads of several prominent charities – Learning Disability Coalition (Anthea Sully), People First (Andrew Lee), Mencap (Mark Goldring), National Autistic Society, National Forum for People with Learning Difficulties, Down’s Syndrome Association, and others – he wrote to several of the signatories regarding their view of charities’ spending priorities.

We publish the text of his letter below. Other Rescare members may well have their own views on where charities’  priorities should lie, and we would welcome hearing from you.

 Dear …

 Your organisation was one of several respected signatories of a letter to The Times warning of real hardship ahead for people with learning disability.

 As a relative of a learning disabled person I am, of course, in sympathy with your concerns, but as an ordinary member of the public who supports the work of some charities such as Cancer Research or Alzheimers Research UK which, as well as offering support (as you do) , spend much of their resources either on funding research into causes and possible cures, or acting as overview organisations of other specialists in their field.

Why should organisations involved with learning or mental disability be so different? I am inclined to think that they are so keen to focus on the need to value their clients or service users that any suggestion that there could be negative aspects of the condition is unacceptable and instead focus entirely on issues of provision of care, support and funding.

Shouldn’t some effort be going into research with a view to at least reducing the numbers of those people who need your help?

 I look forward to your reply.

 Yours sincerely,

Duncan K. Drown