We know that  people with a learning disability are among the most marginalised individuals within our local communities.

They are more likely to experience mental health needs, dementia, psychological distress and anxiety, respiratory conditions, diabetes and epilepsy. Around 50% of the learning disability population will have at least one significant long-term health condition The identification of health need is often delayed and may result in late stage diagnosis and poorer prognosis. Too often people with a learning disability present in health crisis and access urgently sought, bed-based services for conditions that may have been more proactively managed through robust care coordination.

Programmes of work are underway to reduce these health inequalities. Using co-production we are working closely with experts and carers to redesign services in order for people to experience more control over their care and achieve longer, happier and healthier lives.

We have put into place a system of Care and Treatment Reviews that provide care closer to home, by avoiding the use of locked hospital placements wherever possible or helping people to receive care within their local communities at the first available opportunity. We have worked together to design and deliver education to improve awareness of the causes of premature death for people with a learning disability and support preventative action.

Reasonable adjustments

Under the Equality act 2010, organisations have a legal duty to make changes in their approach or provision to ensure that services are as accessible to people with disabilities as they are for everybody else. These changes are called reasonable adjustments.

For more information about reasonable adjusments, read our care plan. Just click on the link below:

Reasonable adjustment care plan

Alternatively, you can watch this helpful video if you prefer

 

The Learning Disability Register Inclusion Tool is a checklist for GPs to assist them in identifying a person with a learning disability. By registering their patients, they can ensure that their needs are met during health care appointments.

Learning Disability Register Inclusion Tool

Below are some useful videos on healthcare for those with an intellectual disability.

Health Is Everybody's Responsibility
Vaccines
Information for Health Professionals

LDA Health Checks and Health Plans contains resources to help support the Annual Health Check (AHC), creation of Health Action Plans (HAP) and Learning Disability and Autism resources in general.

Annual Health Check survey

Here are some useful resources on Syndrome specific checks and Learning disability:

For Parent and Carers

Common health conditions: Some useful advise

Here are some helpful online resources about the impact of Dementia

Here are some useful online resources on diabetes and learning disabilities.

Here are some useful online resources about hearing and learning disabilities: 

SeeAbility useful information for looking after your eyesight.

There is further useful information on the diabetes section of this page.

Here are some useful online resources on heart health and learning disabilities:

 
General Medical Advice

Here are some useful resources on vaccines and learning disability:

 
General Good Health

Here are some useful resources on staying healthy and learning disability:

 

Here are some useful online resources on Men's health and learning disabilities:

Here are some useful online resources on Tansgender health and learning disabilities:

 

Here are some useful online resources on teenage health and learning disabilities: