Learning disability and autism news

NHS England takes new steps to improve learning disability employment

As Mencap’s Learning Disability Work Experience Week kicks off, the number of NHS organisations pledging to employ more people with learning disabilities has hit 100, with NHS England calling on more trusts and hospitals to join the growing list. The pledges have already led to ten new work experience placements which will begin this week […]

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Doctors urged to help stop ‘chemical restraint’ as leading health professionals sign joint pledge

New guidance launched today will support prescribing healthcare professionals to review inappropriate prescriptions for people under their care who have a learning disability and/or autism. The toolkit comes as NHS England and Rt Hon Alistair Burt MP, Minister of State for Community and Social Care, joined forces with five professional bodies and the Challenging Behaviour Foundation […]

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People with a learning disability to design ‘quality checks’ for NHS services

A copy of this press release is also available in easy read. People with a learning disability are being asked to contribute to new tests which will help improve NHS services ranging from dentistry to acute care, NHS England has announced today. The NHS Quality Checkers programme sees people with a learning disability employed to […]

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NHS England publishes report into Southern Health

NHS England has today published an independent report into the deaths of people with a learning disability or mental health problem at Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust, and highlighted a system-wide response. The report was commissioned by NHS England (South) following the death of Connor Sparrowhawk in July 2013 in a unit in Oxford run […]

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‘Homes not hospitals’ for people with learning disabilities

People with a learning disability and/or autism* will be supported to lead more independent lives and have greater say about the support they receive under a national plan published today to radically improve learning disability services. Central to the progress set out by the plan over the next three years will be new, high-quality, community-based […]

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Learning disability employment pledge launched

NHS England and NHS Employers have launched a pledge to employ more people with learning disabilities which local NHS organisations are being encouraged to sign up to. The pledge was opened for signatures at a workshop event held for employers in Bristol yesterday. The pledge is split into three stages: Step one – commitment. Organisations are […]

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Next steps for NHS learning disability jobs drive

New guidance will help health and care employers job create employment opportunities Organisations across the health service in England are today (23 September) being provided with tools to help them meet a challenge to recruit people with learning disabilities. NHS Learning Disability Employment Programme – a joint programme between NHS England and NHS Employers – […]

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Care and treatment reviews to become ‘business as usual’

NHS England has today set out how it intends that reviews of care and treatment arrangements for people with learning disabilities are to be embedded across the health and care system. Care and Treatment Reviews (CTRs) were developed as part of NHS England’s commitment to improving the care of people with learning disabilities or autism. […]

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#TransformingCare – join our Learning Disabilities hour on Twitter

Share your views on the draft Service Model for people with learning disabilities/ autism on Thursday 27 August 1.00-2.00pm We are hosting a Learning Disabilities hour on twitter. We are inviting feedback on the latest draft service model: Supporting people with a learning disability and/or autism who have a mental health condition or display behaviour that […]

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