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<p>Under the general practice Direct Enhanced Services scheme, people aged 14 and over who have been assessed as having moderate, severe or profound learning disabilities, or people with a mild learning disability who have other complex health needs are eligible for an Annual Health Check. Such checks are intended to ensure that any undetected health conditions are identified earlier and that on-going treatment and care is appropriate to the individual’s needs.</p><p> </p><p>‘The Refreshing NHS Plans for 2018/19’ guidance, which was published jointly by NHS England and NHS Improvement, sets out the national ambition that by the end of 2018/19 there will be a 64% increase in the number of Annual Health Checks delivered by general practitioners to people on their Learning Disability Registers compared with 2016/17.</p><p> </p><p>The statutory Accessible Information Standard aims to reduce unacceptable variation in the provision of accessible information and communication support to disabled people, including those with a learning disability, thereby helping to increase their participation in choices about their care. It directs and defines a consistent approach to identifying, recording, flagging, sharing and meeting individuals’ information and communication support needs, where those needs relate to a disability or sensory loss. All providers of National Health Service and/or adult social care have been required to follow the Standard in full since 31 July 2016.</p><p> </p><p>The 2014 Children and Families Act introduced new statutory duties that require clinical commissioning groups and local authorities to work together in joint arrangements to support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, including those with a learning disability. The Act created a duty for health agencies to ensure that health care provision in a child or young person’s Education, Health and Care Plan is secured.</p><p> </p><p>The NHS also has a legal responsibility under the Equality Act 2010 to take account of the special needs of the people with a learning disability. This includes the requirement to make reasonable adjustments to services, including the provision of regular health checks where appropriate.</p><p> </p><p>The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for providing guidance on the prevention and treatment of ill health and the promotion of good health and social care. NICE has published a number of guidelines and other guidance that will support improvements to the quality of care that people with a learning disability receive. We expect clinical commissioning groups to take account of clinical guidelines published by NICE when commissioning services for their local populations.</p><p> </p><p>Through its learning disability programme, Health Education England is ensuring that the NHS workforce has the education and skills needed to effectively deliver and improve services for this patient group. These include resources to upskill the specialist NHS learning disabilities workforce, as well as resources to equip all healthcare professionals to deliver care to people with a learning disability in an appropriate and sensitive way.</p><p> </p><p>Additionally, both NHS England and NHS Improvement have published a range of resources to support the NHS workforce in delivering care that improves the lives of people with a learning disability.</p><p> </p><p>We have made no formal assessment of the economic effect of health inequalities associated with inadequate provision of healthcare on people with learning disabilities.</p> |