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Exploring learning disabilities: supporting belonging
Exploring learning disabilities: supporting belonging

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6 When things go well

Sometimes ‘reasonable adjustments’ can make a huge difference. Read the examples below of how ‘reasonable adjustments’ have benefited William, Margaret and Mary.

William

William was diagnosed with coeliac disease. His dietician found out where he liked to buy his food, and went there to take photos of the foods it was OK for him to eat. She used the photos to prepare a laminated sheet for him to take shopping.

Margaret

Margaret’s GP noticed that she was calmer when her key worker was with her. He asked the receptionist to find out when the key worker was on duty before making the appointment for her Annual Health Check.

Mary

Mary’s learning disability nurse visited her before she went into hospital, to tell her what would happen and find out how she liked to be supported. The nurse then shared this information with the ward staff. She visited Mary during her stay to find out how things were going.

(Source: adapted from Heslop et al., 2013)
Described image
Figure 7 Often it’s attention to the small things that can have a big impact on the quality of a person’s healthcare

There is a long way to go before it is possible to be confident that people with learning disabilities are no longer disadvantaged in accessing high quality healthcare. But a start has been made – we know there is a problem and we know what needs to be done.