The case of nine-year-old Katie Atkinson, who has Down's Syndrome and has been refused a heart transplant, illustrates how negative expectations are influencing the behaviour of individual doctors or health services and resulting in self-fulfilling prophecies.
Low or negative expectations of an individual's health lead to acceptance of a lower state of health as 'normal' for this group of people.
Incorrect attitudes and low expectations are contributing to a situation which is little short of scandalous.
Research shows that people with learning disabilities are not receiving equal access to the health service and the right level of individual support to use it effectively.
Clearly, discrimination against more than 1 million people - 2 per cent of the population - with a learning disability needs to stop.
The life expectancy of people with a learning disability has increased by 40 years over the past 50 years.
This is partly due to advances in medical and surgical treatments being made available, and demonstrates how correct attitudes and high expectations save lives.
The medical profession needs to reflect on its willingness on the one hand to prolong and intervene in treatments which are beyond normal limits of viability and on the other to make decisions based purely on what the profession considers to be 'quality of life'.
The apparent message for Katie and her parents is that their vibrant daughter is not worthy of equal treatment or consideration.
This has disturbing consequences, not just for Katie and her parents, but for all marginalised groups in Britain.
Paul Keenan
Lecturer in nursing, learning disabilities
Paul McIntosh
Lecturer in nursing, learning disabilities
Suffolk College
Ipswich
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