Learning disability register access

SPPG must ensure that people with learning disabilities and autistic people have access to mainstream (i.e. the same services that are available to those without a learning disability) mental health services, with appropriate adjustments for their disabilities.

The SPPG must ensure that commissioning includes provision for people with learning disabilities and autistic people cared for in any facility to have fully funded access to primary care services. These may be provided by LD nurse practitioners/LD nurse consultants. Local commissioning groups (LCGs) should monitor this provision.

There will be a continuing need, which must be met, for new and ongoing community-based support for young people and adults with learning disabilities and autistic people whose families become unable to cope full time. This means there is a continuing need for a range of types of provision and well-coordinated support services in addition to the usual...

A regional standing committee of people with learning disabilities and autistic people and their relatives should be established, to be consulted by the DoH and other bodies on services for learning disabilities and autistic people. This should be funded by DoH and potentially facilitated by the PCC. The participants in this committee should be reimbursed for taking part.

The PCC should take further steps to ensure that health service users, including carers and families of people with learning disabilities and autistic people, are aware of its statutory functions and the assistance it is required to provide with respect to complaints.

The PCC should support service users/families and provide information on what constitutes good quality care for people with learning disabilities and autistic people, and how to spot when care is falling short.

RQIA needs to spend proportionately more time talking to patients/residents, and its staff need to be trained in specific communication techniques such as Makaton and Talking Mats.