About the Congress

It gives me great pleasure to invite you to this international 'bridge 2010' congress on 'best practice in intellectual disability medicine' in Bristol, UK, 13 - 14 May 2010. This congress is jointly organised by ‘MAMH' - European Association of Intellectual Disability Medicine, ‘indis international', a community interest company, which promotes best practice in intellectual disability medicine internationally and ‘ALDERN', the Avon Learning Disability Education and Research Network. (Avon is the old name for Bristol and surrounding areas).

The aim of this congress is to ‘build bridges' across geographical, professional and human boundaries for exchanging and learning about innovative ideas and the latest good practices in the provision of healthcare to people with intellectual disability (id).

As we know, people with id can experience more ill-health than the general population but often receive inferior health care. Intellectually disabled people are usually the most overlooked and ‘left out' people in any society or any services although we know through research and experience that people with id have generally more physical and mental health needs. Over the last few years some countries have thankfully made it one of their priorities to try to improve the health of people with id by looking at the barriers to good health, by improving access to health services and by training staff to recognise their health needs. But looking at good healthcare also means looking at alternatives to traditional, medical based services.

This congress will encourage you to share what, in your experience, works best for people with id and it will hopefully also encourage you to champion other people's ‘best practice' experiences in your own countries.

Receiving good quality healthcare and thereby enjoying a better quality of life is not an optional extra but a right and we invite you to come and join us in making this happen.

I am looking forward to welcoming you in Bristol in May 2010.

Dr. Sylvia Carpenter, FRCPsych
Congress Chair
Chief Executive, ‘indis international'

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Dear Colleagues

One of the main goals of ‘MAMH is to improve medical care for people with intellectual disabilities and reduce the inequalities that still exist in European - and other - countries. Our past congresses in Rome, Manchester, Debrecen and Lahti concerned themselves mainly with the latest research in clinical practice but in this, our 5. congress, we also want to share and learn from the different ways in which healthcare is delivered to people with intellectual disabilities in different countries.

Doctors, who are committed to good quality healthcare for people with intellectual disabilities, need to exchange their knowledge and experiences as well as advocate on behalf of disabled people by engaging on this subject with other organisations and with their governments. MAMH is active on both fronts: scientific knowledge and political power.

This congress is going to bring together doctors, other health professionals, policy makers and carers from all corners of the world whose goal is to provide the best available health care to people with intellectual disabilities - within the limitations of their own country's economic constraints but with the conviction that a two tier health system is no longer acceptable.

I really do hope to meet you next year in Bristol.

Dr Frans A. Scholte
President of 'MAMH'
Physician for people with intellectual disabilities, The Netherlands

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Dear Colleagues

On behalf of the Avon Learning Disabilities Education and Research Network, based here in Bristol, I would like to extend a very warm welcome to visitors to the bridge 2010 congress. We are excited to be contributing to the plans for a first class congress programme.

Bristol and its surrounding cities have had a long local history of providing services for people with learning disability: these combine what we hope is the best of medical, psychological and psychiatric care with the best social care and opportunities to suit each unique person in their local community.

Local professionals and carers try to work together to improve these services all the time: so we are delighted to have the chance to learn from colleagues from other countries about new ideas and new practices. In turn we hope you will let us show you our beautiful city, meet new like minded friends, and network together to help us create not only healthier lives for people with learning disabilities but inspiration and challenge for all dedicated practitioners whatever their speciality.

We believe that people with learning disability deserve the best we can offer by collaboration!

So we look forward to seeing you in May 2010.

Dr. Alan Kellas, MBBS BA DGM MRCPsych
Chair of 'ALDERN'
Consultant Psychiatrist for People with Learning Disabilities,
Bristol, UK