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Learning Disability Nurse and Health Care Support Workers
Our Role
The Community Nursing Staff for adults with learning disabilities are based within the Community Learning Disabilities Team and consist of:
- Professional Nurse Lead
- Community Nurses (Learning Disabilities)
- Community Healthcare Support Workers
- Advanced Clinical Practitioners
- Acute Liaison nurses
What is the role of a Community Learning Disability Nurse and Health Care Support worker?
The main role of a Community Learning Disability Nurse involves:
- Improving or maintaining a person’s physical and mental health.
- Reducing barriers to access mainstream services, promote health screening and ensuring health equality for adults with a Learning Disability.
- Support Primary care services by updating them on current LD initiatives.
What we can help with?
We can help with:
- Assessment of health care needs
- Desensitisation work (blood tests)
- Dementia
- Bowel management
- Diabetes
- Men and Women’s health
- Healthy eating, weight and nutrition
- Dental
- Managing epilepsy
- Annual health checks
- Health action plans
- Hospital passports
- Assessment, advice and support to parents and carers with learning disabilities
- Prepare and support the person for medical appointments to ensure reasonable adjustments are made.
- Can offer bespoke training for service users and carers where needed.
- We offer a triage service- to support with signposting to any immediate concerns about health and wellbeing.
What can be expected following a referral to our service for a Community Learning Disability Nurse or Healthcare Support Worker?
- A letter will be sent acknowledging that a referral has been made as there may be a waiting time.
- We may telephone to get more information before we can proceed.
- A nurse or health care support worker will arrange an appointment to discuss your concerns and complete a nursing assessment. This appointment often takes place in the person’s own home or at a day service. Sometimes we see people in other settings.
- We can refer to other Professionals if considered necessary e.g. Physiotherapy or Occupational Therapy, these will be discussed with the individual and/or their Carer where appropriate.
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