Support for people with a learning disability

People with a learning disability may have particular health problems, and some people may need extra support to use important health services. 

Reasonable adjustments and extra support to access health care 

If you have a learning disability, health services should give you extra support to help you access the care you need. This includes things like helping with the timing of your appointments, making sure that buildings are easy to get into and make your way around, and providing a calm and quiet space if you need it. These are called ‘reasonable adjustments’. 

There are specialist nurses in community and hospital services who can help patients with a learning disability to answer any questions they might have about their appointment. 

Learning disability register 

 If you have a learning disability, your doctor (also called a GP) should put you on the learning disability register. 

If you are on the learning disability register, you can get additional support from your GP. 

If you are not on the learning disability at your doctor’s practice contact them and ask them to add you.  

The Mencap website has more information about the learning disability register, including a video and easy read guides. 

Annual learning disability health checks 

People with a learning disability often have poorer physical and mental health than other people. This does not need to be the case. 

Everyone over the age of 14 who is on their doctor’s learning disability register should have an annual health check.  An annual health check can help you stay well by talking to a doctor or nurse about your health and finding any problems early, so they can be sorted out.  

Your doctor’s practice should contact you to offer you an annual health check. If they don’t do this, you can ask them if you can have one. 

 Find out more about annual health checks in this easy read leaflet from Mencap (PDF 2.72Mb) 

Clear communications – the Accessible Information Standard

There is a rule that health and care services have to communicate with people with a learning disability in the way that they understand. This is called the Accessible Information Standard. It applies to communications by letter, phone or at appointments.

There is some helpful information about the Accessible Information Standard on the Mencap website. This explains what health and social care workers should do to make sure you get the support you need. It also gives advice to help you to think about what would help you to communicate better with your health and social care workers.

Local information about help for people with a learning disability 

The Essex County Council website has information on health support for people with a learning disability. This includes some videos to to help people with learning disabilities prepare for different health appointments. There are also contacts for specialist nurses who can help with hospital appointments. 

The Hertfordshire County Council website has information about help with your help if you have a learning disability. This includes information about: 

• The Hertfordshire learning disability nursing service which can help you understand ways of looking after your health and they can help health professionals to communicate with you in the best way.
• The ‘Purple Star’ scheme which recognises health services that work really hard to give the best help to people with learning disabilities. This includes doctors, dentists, opticians, pharmacists, and hospitals.