Patients with learning disabilities help shape future health services

The Learning Disability Group

Patients with learning disabilities have launched a new scheme to help capture and improve their healthcare experiences in the Rochdale borough.

The Patient Experience Learning Disabilities Group at NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale (HMR) have placed comment boxes in 10 day care centres across the borough to give patients the opportunity to share their experiences and suggestions.

All comments and suggestions will be collected by NHS HMR’s Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) who will then use the information to make suggestions for improvements to local health services for patients with learning disabilities

Kirsty Ogden, the group’s co-ordinator at NHS HMR, said: “It’s really important to us that everyone in the borough is given the opportunity to comment on local health services so the local NHS can provide the best possible care for its patients.”

The group was established in December 2009 and includes eight people with learning disabilities from across the borough. The group meet bi-monthly and discuss their experiences of the health and social care services they use and offer suggestions on how these service could be improved for the future. Kirsty said: “The group is invaluable for helping to shape future services that are fair and accessible to all. The group members also provide valuable insight for service providers into the specific needs of people with learning disabilities when accessing services.”

The group members have already worked on a number of projects that are being rolled out over the next couple of months: 

• Thumbs up award – this award was designed by the group members and will be presented to healthcare professionals such as GPs, dentists, opticians, pharmacists when patients with learning disabilities have had a positive experience whilst using their service. 
• How people speak to us – this was a project the group members felt strongly about as they wanted to raise awareness in relation to the way they were spoken to and treated when attending healthcare appointments. The group has designed an information leaflet to assist healthcare professionals to communicate more effectively with patients with learning disabilities.