Learning Disability Week – 16th-20th June
Learning Disability Week is happening this year between 16th and 20th June. This week, arranged by Mencap, aims to highlight the lived experience of people with learning disabilities. Mencap advocates for improving the quality of life for individuals with learning disabilities, raising awareness, and fighting stigma and discrimination.
Around 1.5 million people in the UK have a learning disability, defined as “a reduced intellectual ability and difficulty with everyday activities”.
Mencap report the average life expectancy of someone with a learning disability is 63 years old, compared to 86 for women and 82 for men in the general population.
The theme for this year’s Learning Disability Week is “Do you see me?” and looks to ensure that people with learning disabilities are seen, heard, and included.
You can find out more about how to get involved here.
Help available in General Practice
Annual Health Check
GP practices keep a register of all patients with learning disabilities. Every year these patients are invited for an Annual Health Check, making sure that doctors and nurses at the surgery are familiar with each patient, and are up to date with their current situation and needs.
Reasonable Adjustments
Reasonable adjustments are considerations made to prevent patients from becoming disadvantaged. Below are some common examples of how your GP practice might try to help you:
- Easy-read format letters
- Increased appointment lengths, or suitable appointment times
- Accessibility tools on practice websites
- Seeing the same clinicians where possible.
Often these adjustments will be noted at the above-mentioned Annual Health Check, to make sure that the surgery can communicate with you effectively.
