NHS Norfolk has been commended for driving forward improvements to the care of people with learning disabilities.
Together with organisations which deliver health care such as GP Practices and NHS hospitals, NHS Norfolk is working to bring about a step change in the experience of healthcare for a patient with a learning disability.
NHS Norfolk has been particularly commended for:
– Getting GPs to create a register of people with learning difficulties and working to give each of those patients an annual health check
– Ensuring the needs of people with learning difficulties are included across all areas of health care planning and provision
– Ensuring the safety of people with learning difficulties whilst they are being treated by the NHS
– The establishment of a specialist service to help adults with autism and Asperger’s Syndrome. This was undertaken jointly with Norfolk County Council and NHS Great Yarmouth and Waveney.
NHS Norfolk undertook a self assessment of progress with this work to date, which includes close working with the Norfolk Learning Difficulty Partnership Board and other stakeholders.
This self assessment was then scrutinised by the East of England’s Strategic Health Authority, which wrote back saying: “NHS Norfolk has clearly made significant progress in developing and improving services which meet the health and wellbeing of people with a learning disability in your area.”
Steve McCormack, Commissioning Manager for Mental Health and Learning Disabilities at NHS Norfolk, said: “We are delighted that we have received such positive feedback.
“It supports the very significant partnership working we have all undertaken in Norfolk to provide more equitable access to health care for people with learning disabilities and difficulties.
“Much has been achieved in the last twelve months which we wish to build on to further improve this important area of healthcare.”
The Board of NHS Norfolk will be updated on the progress made when it meets on Wednesday July 28th. The meeting is being held in public, at the West Norfolk Development Centre in King’s Lynn, from 2pm.
In May, the Board heard how local hospitals are striving to improve services for those with learning difficulties.
For example, through the appointment of a Learning Difficuolty Liaison nurse about 1,000 staff at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital have received training to help them understand the needs of people who have learning difficulties when they come in for treatment.
Each ward has an ‘LD Champion’ to liaise with patients and their family or carer, to ensure their needs are met. The hospital has also produced a short web film with ‘ten top tips’ for coming into hospital – produced and filmed with the input of people with learning difficulties.
The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital was the first hospital in the country to pilot Project SEARCH in partnership with Adult Social Services. This is an initiative which gives young people with learning disability and also those with an autistic spectrum disorder a chance to try real jobs in the hospital and apply for them at the end of their training.
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn is commencing Project Search in the autumn. It has also has run workshops and training for staff and there is a Learning Disability Steering Group which works across all areas of the Trust.
