Healthcare rationing for people with learning disabilities

The recent case of Jo, a Down's Syndrome child who was initially refused a heart and lung transplant (BBC TV 1996) has raised the issue of rationing health care. This article discusses the issues surrounding rationing and looks critically at some of the definitions and assumptions it is based upon. The historical and the future impact of various types of rationing upon people with learning disabilities is highlighted. The author argues that people with learning disabilities would benefit from a more explicit rationing system to enable decisions, made possibly on prejudiced grounds, at least to be challenged.