Last week (Tuesday 13 May), more than 80 attendees gathered at The Hawthorns in West Bromwich for a special LeDeR Stakeholders Event.
LeDeR (Learning from Lives and Deaths Reviews) is a national programme that reviews the lives and deaths of people with learning disabilities and autistic people, with the aim of identifying areas for improvement across health and social care.
The event brought together a wide range of stakeholders from across the Black Country, including citizens and family carers with lived experience, primary care colleagues, representatives from the NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board (ICB), all four acute trusts, our four Local Authorities and Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
This was a vital opportunity to reflect, collaborate and plan for a more inclusive and responsive future for people with a learning disability and autistic people. Attendees also explored how the voice of marginalised and under-represented groups can be better integrated into future strategies, and how cross-organisational efforts are shaping care across the Black Country.
Dudley Voices for Choice, a user led charity organisation based in Dudley, delivered a compelling live protest performance to raise awareness of premature and avoidable mortality for people with learning disabilities and autism. Their message - “We want the same as you” - highlighted the importance of equity and understanding in healthcare.
Interactive workshops facilitated further engagement, enabling discussion around strengthening the voice of people with lived experience and identifying barriers in accessing equitable care.
Work is now underway to define key priorities for the 2025/26 Black Country LeDer programme and develop a three-year strategy and action plan.
Sally Roberts, Chief Nursing Officer for the NHS Black Country ICB, said: “The LeDeR Stakeholder Event was not only informative but transformational - centering lived experience, driving accountability and setting the foundations for long-term strategic improvements.
“We are committed to not only hearing the voices of people with lived experience but ensuring that those voices actively shape our services in the Black Country.
“The input and collaboration from all sectors and communities will inform the next phase of the LeDeR programme in the Black Country and ensure that the voices of people with learning disabilities and autism are heard, respected and acted upon.”
