Help in hospital - Hospital passports
A hospital passport tells the hospital about your healthcare, your
learning disability
A learning disability is to do with the way someone's brain works. It makes it harder for someone to learn, understand or do things.
, how you like to communicate and how to make things easier for you.
You can carry your hospital passport and show it to healthcare staff at the hospital.
It can help you to get the care you need in an easier to understand way.
Hospital passports can get lost in hospital so it's a good idea to have more than one copy.
Get your hospital passport
To create your own hospital passport, download this hospital passport document, print it off and fill it in.
Victoria's story of using her hospital passport
Watch our video about Victoria and how her hospital passport has made things easier for her.
If you have a problem with your health, it is important to get checked out
Some health problems can get worse if you don't get help quickly.
If you feel poorly you should go to the doctor's surgery.
They can find out if anything is wrong and get help for you.
Important! Join the learning disability register
A really important thing to do is make sure you are on the
learning disability register
The learning disability register is a list of people with a learning disability that the doctor’s surgery looks after.
.
This register gives you extra help at the doctors.
You’ll get invited to visit the doctor’s each year for a
health check
A health check is when you see a nurse or doctor so they can help you to stay well.
and get better access to vaccines.
Getting extra help with your healthcare
Some people with a learning disability can find it harder to use healthcare services
Some people with a learning disability can find it harder to use healthcare services
You can ask doctors, nurses and healthcare staff to make things easier for you.
Help at the doctors
Print out and fill in our free doctor letter. Give it to your doctor’s surgery next time you visit.
It shows what reasonable adjustments would make things easier for you.
Always tell healthcare workers that you have a learning disability
Healthcare workers may not know that you need extra support or have a learning disability
You may need to explain about your learning disability to a few different people
Show them your doctor’s letter or hospital passport.
It’s okay to remind people to look at it.
Tell them if you need help or are finding something hard
For example, I have a learning disability and need to bring someone to my appointment
Ask to see a learning disability nurse
All healthcare workers should be able to help you
But some of them still need training about learning disability
There is a special type of nurse called a learning disability nurse.
Remember: Keep asking for help until you get it!
Make sure to have your flu vaccine this winter.
Some people with a learning disability are more likely to become seriously ill or die if they get the flu.
The best way to avoid getting flu is to have a flu vaccine, which is a free injection.
