CARE_10AchievingCare for Focus Patients
Annual Health Checks for People with a Learning Disability
Summary
Deliver high-quality, person-centred annual health checks for all patients on the learning disability register, using a structured template, accessible communication, and a co-developed health action plan.
Supporting information
People with a learning disability die on average 20 years younger than the general population, often from preventable causes. High-quality annual health checks are crucial for identifying and addressing health issues early, but must be delivered in ways that work for each individual.
Approaches to implementation:
- Ensure all eligible patients are identified and invited using accessible communication methods, e.g. easy-read invitations
- Allow longer appointments, attendance of trusted companions and offer familiar environments
- Use easy-read materials and visual aids to support understanding
- Address the full range of physical and mental health needs, using frameworks like NHS England's Annual Health Check for people with a learning disability
- Co-develop health action plans that patients and carers can understand and use
Key benefits: Directly addresses the stark mortality gap for people with a learning disability, provides comprehensive preventive care often missed in routine appointments, and demonstrates that the practice values the health of people with a learning disability equally.
Resources
Links open on other organisations' websites.