Some people with a
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.
can find it harder to use healthcare services, but there is help available.
You can ask doctors, nurses and healthcare staff to make things easier for you.
There are ways to get extra help with your healthcare
Accessing healthcare services can be difficult. There are ways to get help to make sure you get the right support and easier-to-understand care.
On this page you can find out more about:
- The
Learning Disability Register
The learning disability register is a list of people with a learning disability that the doctor’s surgery looks after.
- Hospital passports
- Asking for reasonable adjustments
- Learning disability nurses
The Learning Disability Register
The learning disability register is a list of people with a learning disability that most doctors surgeries have. It helps the doctor’s surgery know who may need extra health support.
Important! Join the learning disability register
A really important thing to do is make sure you are on the learning disability register.
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.
Hospital passports
A hospital passport tells the hospital about your healthcare, your learning disability, 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.
Victoria's story of using her hospital passport
Watch our video about Victoria and how her hospital passport has made things easier for her.
Get your hospital passport
To create your own hospital passport, download this hospital passport document, print it off and fill it in.
Asking for reasonable adjustments
All disabled people have the right to reasonable adjustments when using public services, including healthcare. Reasonable adjustments are small changes that can help people with a learning disability be treated equally.
It is your right to ask for reasonable adjustments when you have an appointment for your health.
Reasonable adjustments could be the way that the staff treat you, or things that you need when you are at your appointment. Every person is different and will need different changes but there are some which are more common.
Find out more in our easy read guide about reasonable adjustments.
Learning disability nurses
People with a learning disability can be supported by specialist learning disability nurses in some healthcare settings like hospitals, GP surgeries and health clinics. Learning disability nurses are one of the best people to ask for help because they know lots about supporting people with a learning disability.
It is important to ask for support. Speak to your General Practitioner (GP), or your local learning disability team if you have one.
If you have a hospital appointment, it is best to contact the hospital's PALS team in advance so they can put support in place. Family members and carers can also request support from a learning disability nurse on behalf of a patient.
Find out more in our easy read guide about the role of a learning disability nurse.
More information about health
Yes, there are ways to make sure you get the right healthcare support. Some things that help are:
- Joining the Learning Disability Register
- Use a hospital passport when visiting a hospital
- Asking for reasonable adjustments
- Asking for support from learning disability nurses
The learning disability register is a list of people with a learning disability that most doctors surgeries have. It helps the doctor’s surgery know who may need extra health support. It is important to make sure you are on the learning disability register. Find out how to join the learning disability register on our
website
A website is a page you can go to on the internet like Google or YouTube.
.
A hospital passport is a document you complete that tells the hospital about your healthcare, your learning disability, how you like to communicate and how to make things easier for you.
It is a really helpful item to have when going for a hospital appointment. 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.
Yes, it is your right to ask for reasonable adjustments when you have an appointment for your health. The
law
Laws are the rules that everyone in the country has to follow. If you don't follow the rules you can get in trouble with the police.
says that reasonable adjustments should be put in place.
These are some examples of reasonable adjustments you might want to ask for:
- A longer appointment
- A quiet place to wait, or a private room
-
Easy read
Easy Read is a way of making written information easier to understand. Pictures are usually added next to the writing.
information - An appointment at a time which is better for you
- Support workers or family members with you
- Help from a learning disability nurse
- Better physical access and help to get around
Find out more in our easy read guide about reasonable adjustments.
Learning disability know lots about supporting people with a learning disability.
They can provide support, advice and
guidance
Guidance means being given clear instructions to be able to do something well.
to address health inequalities and make sure you have fair access to the healthcare you need.
Always tell healthcare workers that you have a learning disability, may not know that you need extra support or have a learning disability. Tell them if you need help or are finding something hard. And ask them what adjustments can be made to support you.