Learning disabilities news

NHS chief Simon Stevens has today (Thursday October 10th) announced that a new taskforce will be set up to improve current specialist children and young people’s inpatient mental health, autism and learning disability services in England. The NHS Long Term Plan sets out an ambitious programme to transform mental health services, autism and learning disability; […]

A leading expert on learning disability services will work with a respected NHS leader to review the circumstances and lessons of the death of Oliver McGowan, a young teenager with learning disabilities. The NHS has today announced that Dr. Celia Ingham Clark MBE, England’s medical director for professional leadership and clinical effectiveness, will oversee the […]

The NHS has today announced that an additional £5 million will fund reviews to improve care for people with a learning disability and committed to renewed national action to tackle serious conditions. The world’s first programme to review the deaths of everyone with a learning disability is being expanded to speed up the spread of […]

NHS England is today (25 April 2018) asking more doctors and health care professionals to sign up to a pledge to stop the overmedication of people with a learning disability, autism or both. The renewed drive to widen support for Stopping OverMedication of People with a Learning Disability (STOMP), is being backed by the government […]

NHS England has today announced the appointment of Ray James as its first National Learning Disability Director, to drive improvement across the country on services to people with a learning disability, their families and carers. Ray is the former national president of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services and the long-standing executive director […]

Professor Jane Cummings has urged nurses to lead the way in improving the lives of millions of people living with a mental health condition or learning disability. It is estimated there are around 1.1 million people living with a learning disability in England. However, the number recorded in health and welfare systems is much lower. […]

Practical guides to help disabled patients to access GP online services have been published by NHS England today (11 September). Aimed at supporting people with sight loss, hearing loss, autism or learning disabilities, a series of new guides have been developed to help patients use GP services online such as book appointments, repeat their prescriptions and […]

An ongoing fight to raise awareness of over-medication of people with learning disabilities has been welcomed by the country’s top nurse. As it reached its first anniversary today Professor Jane Cummings spoke out in support of stop the over-medication of people with a learning disability or autism (STOMP) – a major initiative aimed at curbing […]

Patients with a learning disability, autism or both are set to benefit from over £10 million investment by NHS England to help them lead more independent lives, closer to their friends and family. The funding will support fourteen local Transforming Care Partnerships – made up of NHS organisations, local authorities and NHS England commissioners, working […]

People with a learning disability, autism or both in the North West will be supported to lead more independent lives in their communities thanks to plans given the final go ahead today, which include the closure of Calderstones (now known as Mersey Care Whalley site) – England’s last stand-alone NHS learning disability hospital. The plans […]