Views sought on learning-disability training for healthcare staff

A consultation has been launched on a Code of Practice on statutory learning disability and autism training for health and care staff, to help improve the care that people with a learning disability and autistic people receive.

Draft guidance for the Oliver McGowan Code of Practice outlines how health and care providers who are Care Quality Commission (CQC) registered can meet the new legislative requirement to ensure staff receive training on learning disabilities and autism appropriate to their role.

The draft outlines the standards that training on learning disabilities and autism must meet to comply with the legislation from the Health and Care Act 2022, and guidance on how providers can meet those standards.

People with a learning disability and autistic people face poorer health outcomes than the general population, and it is crucial that health and care staff are equipped with the right knowledge and skills to provide high-quality, personalised care and help reduce inequalities in health outcomes.

The new legal training requirement and introduction of a code of practice are important steps in improving the care that people with a learning disability and autistic people receive.

Minister of State for Health, Maria Caulfield, said: "People with a learning disability and autistic people deserve care that is personalised to them, and it’s important for staff to have the right skills to provide this.

"We want as many people as possible to contribute to this consultation so that we can continue working towards a society where everyone knows their needs will be met when they walk into a hospital or care setting."

As set out in the draft code, the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism is the government’s preferred and recommended programme to support CQC registered providers to meet the new requirement introduced by the Health and Care Act 2022.

The training is named after Oliver McGowan, a young autistic teenager with a mild learning disability who sadly died after having a severe reaction to medication given to him against his and his family’s strong wishes.