A rights-based approach to accessing healthcare in relation to individuals with learning disabilities brings that person’s basic human rights to the forefront of the healthcare they receive.
Individuals with learning disabilities are first and foremost individuals and have the same needs and rights regarding healthcare as those without learning disabilities.
Therefore they should be implicit in their own healthcare and empowered to make their own decisions whilst being provided with information through media that they can digest and fully understand.
Healthcare providers should have well-trained staff that involve individuals with learning disabilities. When talking about an individual’s health they should speak to the individual rather than their family or support worker. They should presume that the individual has the capacity to make their own choices and discussions of sexual health should not be stigmatized.
In addition, individuals with learning disabilities should not be discriminated against and should be offered equal opportunities to access healthcare.