New guide launched to help people with learning disabilities get the best from the NHS

The Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities has today launched a new easier-read resource about what to expect from the NHS.

The booklet provides practical hints and tips for people with learning disabilities, family carers and anyone who supports a person with learning disabilities on how best to use the NHS, what to expect, real life examples of challenges and how they can be overcome as well as advice about how to get help and useful contacts to get more information. Drawing on the Foundation’s extensive work on access to health care for people with learning disabilities, the booklet was funded by the Valuing People Now programme.

Alison Giraud-Saunders, Consultant at the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities, says:

“Through our many years of work to improve health outcomes for people with learning disabilities, we know that people with learning disabilities and family carers often lack information about how to get the best care from the NHS. Health care systems can be confusing and stressful for anyone and it is difficult to know what extra help you can get if you are disabled.

“The resource is organised into sections including: what the NHS is; tips about looking after and making decisions about your health, and how to go about using the NHS, as well as practical tips about what it’s like to go to the doctor or nurse or to go to hospital for an appointment. Each section draws on the real experiences of people with learning disabilities and is illustrated by stories to show what a ‘good’ service from the NHS looks like.

“We hope that this new resource will prove a real help to people with learning disabilities, their families and supporters and make a significant difference to their experiences of the NHS.”

The booklet will be launched at two events for people with learning disabilities and their carers. The first one will take place on Thursday 26th April at Burnley Football Club and the second one on 3rd July at the Holiday Inn Gloucester.

For more information about the events please click here

To download the booklet please click here