Working with primary care practices to improve service delivery for people with learning disabilities – a pilot study

Abstract

Accessible summary People with learning disability have worse health than other people General practitioners and other people working with them were offered training on different topics such as communication and the work of the community team. Afterwards all the GP practices introduced changes which made it easier for people with learning disability to use their local surgery. SummaryThe relatively poor health of people with learning disability reflects the failure of primary care practitioners to improve the accessibility of the service they offer. This North Essex study involved evaluation of a project to work with three primary care practices to raise staff awareness, improve their training, and adapt their working practice. While GPs and other practice staff recognised their training needs, only one practice released all staff for a one day training course. Nevertheless, all practices worked to produce Practice Development Plans which resulted in improved accessibility for People with Learning Disability. The project also opened up a channel of communication between the practices and the Community Team for People with Learning Disabilities (CTPLD). This study forms one strand of a three‐part project to improve access to primary care.