Roger’s Film: Learning from the Past to Shape a Better Future for People with Learning Disabilities

Roger’s Film: Who Cares? We Do, is a powerful and moving short film that documents the life and death of Roger, a man with learning disabilities. Clive Parry, ARC England Director shares the latest updates on the films’s impact.

The film was made by ARC England member the Wilf Ward Family Trust who supported Roger and is a sobering reminder of the systemic issues that many people with learning disabilities continue to face, particularly within hospital settings.

Roger’s Film was recently screened for NHS, CQC, ADASS, LGA, local authority and member colleagues. The subsequent roundtable discussion sparked numerous ideas for action across themes in health and care settings, all aiming to ensure Roger's experience is never repeated. 

Theme 1: Attention and Action

Strategic-level attention and action to address systemic shortcomings is needed otherwise stories like Roger’s will persist. 

Recommendations include: 

• Fully fund rollout of Oliver McGowan Mandatory Learning Disability Training to improve the skills and understanding of anyone working with individuals with learning disabilities. 

• Hospitals to mandate one clinical team member to take responsibility for reading a patient’s hospital passport and sharing this critical information with the rest of the care team. 

• ADASS  to develop a care planning narrative that fosters a culture that recognises people with learning disabilities as individuals with unique needs and rights. 

 

Theme 2: Accountability

Strengthening accountability within the healthcare system is pivotal. The duty of candour, the legal requirement for healthcare providers to be open and honest when things go wrong, must be reinforced. 

• Foster greater accountability at Integrated Care System (ICS) level; publish named contacts for those responsible for adults with learning disabilities. 

• Meet with senior NHS colleagues, including Chief Nurse Deborah Sturdy, and learning disability service providers, to discuss how complaints can be handled more effectively.

•  Strengthen formal links between safeguarding adults boards and NHS complaints systems to ensure complaints lead to meaningful action.

• Research and publish how often the phrase "lessons will be learned" has been used and by whom following the preventable death of someone with learning disabilities. This will serve as a stark reminder of the need for real change.

 

Theme 3: Strengthening Relationships at a System and Place Level

The importance of recognising expertise beyond acute care settings is key. Registered social care managers must understand how their services are funded, especially when someone they support is admitted to the hospital. Clinical teams in acute settings must understand that the support workers in learning disability and autism services know the people they support better than perhaps anyone else. Their views, suggestions and advice should be valued and acted upon. Parity of esteem between clinical and social care workers is vital. 

• Produce resources to guide in navigating this complex system. 

• NHS and local authority commissioners to agree on a clear care needs policy that can be activated whenever someone with learning disabilities is admitted to an acute setting.

 

Theme 4: Coordination of Information

How information is used within the healthcare system to support individuals with learning disabilities and autistic people. 

• Relationships between commissioners and acute liaison nurses need to be strengthened, possibly through the framework being developed by Changing Our Lives. Important information shared effectively will lead to better care outcomes.

• A review of complaints procedures; we propose labelling all complaints as either safeguarding concerns or not, to better streamline the response. 

• We also support the implementation of the Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS) proposals, which will provide further protections for individuals who may lack the mental capacity to make certain decisions. 

• Engage the LeDeR (Learning Disabilities Mortality Review) team to assess additional actions that could further improve care.

Moving Forward

Roger’s Film is not just a memorial; it’s a call to action. By prioritising these steps, we aim to ensure that Roger’s experience is not repeated and that every person with learning disabilities receives the dignity, care, and respect they deserve in all settings, including hospitals. This is an ongoing journey, and together with our partners, we will continue to push for lasting change.