Below we hear from Lloyd Page, a Mencap volunteer, campaigner and author, about how he feels the Sunflower Lanyard Scheme from Hidden Disabilities can help.
‘My name is Lloyd Page and I’m a volunteer for Mencap, a campaigner and author, I also have a learning disability.
I was really pleased to hear that University Hospital Lewisham, which is my local hospital, has launched a Sunflower Lanyard Scheme for people with hidden disabilities like me.
You might not realise it when you first see me but my learning disability means I sometimes need extra support when I’m in hospital.
At Mencap we have a campaign called Treat Me Well, which is about helping people in hospitals get better at supporting people with a learning disability.
Simple, small changes can really help us. This can mean things like having doctors and nurses use simple words rather than medical jargon, after all no one likes jargon.
I like to have information in Easy Read because it uses short sentences and pictures.
Some people with a learning disability have a hospital passport, which tells people how to best support them in hospital. It’s important that doctors and nurses take the time to read them.
Wearing the sunflower lanyard is a great way of letting doctors know that you need extra support.
And remember – it’s not only for people with a learning disability. They’re for anyone with a disability or health condition who needs a bit of extra help.
I will be proud to wear my sunflower lanyard when I need to go into hospital.’
Lloyd Page
More information on the Treat Me Well campaign can be found here.
