Health and wellbeing

Our Dynamic Support Keyworkers work with autistic people and people with a learning disability aged up to 25 years who are on the Dynamic Support Register rated RED, AMBER or BLUE (inpatient).

The Dynamic Support Register is to identify people at risk or may become at risk of admission to a mental health hospital without support.

Dynamic Support Keyworkers make sure that people and their families/carers get the right support at the right time. They aim to lower admissions to mental health hospitals and support people leaving hospital.

Dynamic Support Keyworkers help by:

Listening

• Listening to your thoughts and feelings.

Acting

• Working with services to try and reduce barriers and achieve change.
• Being the main point of contact for people and their families.
• Making sure care continues once Dynamic Keyworker support is no longer needed.

Doing

• Creating a plan together about what matters to you.
• Supporting you to get the right care.
• Planning for you to live in the community with the right support.

Our service can support you if you are:

• Aged up to 25 years of age. If you are aged 18 or over allocation of a keyworker will focus on the transition between children and adult services.
• On the Dynamic Support Register rated either RED, AMBER, OR BLUE (inpatient). People who are identified as GREEN may receive advice and information.
• Have a GP in North Yorkshire, York, Hull, East Riding, North Lincolnshire, or North-East Lincolnshire.

The Lead Professional handling the person’s care must make a referral once the person is registered on the Dynamic Support Register (DSR) by filling in a referral form. When referring a person who is aged 13 or over, please seek their consent. If a person is unable to consent themselves, please seek parent/carer consent – Consent form.

If you cannot access either of these forms, please contact us.

If you are unsure whether a person is registered on the Dynamic Support Register (DSR) then please contact your DSR Lead:

• Humber (Hull, East Riding, North Lincolnshire, North East Lincolnshire): hnyicb-ery.admissionvoidancehub@nhs.net
• North Yorkshire and York: hnyicb-ny.dsrrequestsnyy@nhs.net

Your feedback is important to us, we would really like to ask you a few questions based on your experience of our services. To take part in our Friends and Family Test Survey (also available in Easy Read Format) please follow the link and enter the Team Code KS112 when prompted: Friends and Family Test.

Should you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Therapy Service Pathways

Each Service within the Children’s Therapy Team has a detailed pathway showing the steps that take place following referral as well as the journey your child may take after assessment. Further Information about services can be accessed through the NLaG Trust website.

• Local-Offer-ASD-ADHD-Pathway
• Children's Occupational Therapy Intervention pathway
• PT Intervention pathway

Please note: the documents above may not all be accessible. If you need a document in another format, please contact ais@northlincs.gov.uk

The Children's Therapy Team in North Lincolnshire includes the following paediatric services:

• Speech and Language Therapy
• Occupational Therapy
• Physiotherapy
• Nutrition and Dietetic Service

Services are offered to children and young people 0-16/19 years of age, with specific age criteria for each service area. The team is based in Scunthorpe but works across the North Lincolnshire area. Referrals are received from a range of sources including Consultants, GPs, Health Visitors, schools, early years providers, other professionals (for example Portage, ASET, Education Psychologist) and parents. Please see each services websites above for each teams referral criteria.

Appointments are offered within clinics, schools, and special schools. Home visits are offered to children dependent upon their clinical need, and children will also be seen within a hospital setting as appropriate.

Our main aims are to help children and young people to:

• Develop and make progress at school/nursery to the best of their ability
• Be as independent as possible and make choices for themselves
• Have satisfying relationships at home and at school
• Participate and feel confident
• Be free from discomfort, stay well and be safe

Welcome to our Occupational Therapy Toolkit. Below is a variety of information and advice to help children and young people develop physical skills for learning and life.

Please read the Occupational Therapy Toolkit document so that you can understand the purpose of the Toolkit, an outline of the content, how to use the Toolkit and the referral process.

Occupational Therapy Toolkit HTML Toolkit Overview [174KB] PDF - Print only

"The ability to communicate is an essential life skill for all children and young people in the 21st century. It is at the core of all social interaction. With strong communication skills, children can engage and thrive. Without them children will struggle to learn, achieve, make friends and interact with the world around them." John Bercow MP 2008

Speech and Language Toolkit Introduction [816KB] PDF Speech and Language Toolkit Screens and strategies [1.25MB] PDF Speech and Language Toolkit References and resources [705KB] PDF

Child Development Centre - Occupational Therapy Toolkit - Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust

The child development centre (CDC) is home to some of our children’s therapy teams and a range of services are provided from here including parent and baby/toddler groups, assessments and therapeutic interventions for children under five with additional needs.

NHS Choices - Find information and services to help you manage your health

• NHS website for England - NHS
• Service Finder | LiveWell North Lincolnshire

We have key responsibilities in championing the needs of these children and young people. We are responsible for providing education to children and young people where they are unable to attend school due to ill health. You can read the statutory guidance on the Department for Education website.

The guidance states:

• Pupils at school with medical conditions should be properly supported so that they have full access to education, including school trips and physical education.
• Governing bodies must ensure that arrangements are in place in schools to support pupils at school with medical conditions.
• Governing bodies should ensure that school leaders consult health and social care professionals, pupils and parents to ensure that the needs of children with medical conditions are properly understood and effectively supported.

An Individual Healthcare Plan is a document produced between all parties. It lays out what the child’s medical needs are with appropriate treatments and responses. This should be easily accessible to staff and regularly updated.

Every education setting should have a Medical Needs policy. This gives information about what procedures are in place to support medical needs. This document should be updated regularly. For information about a specific settings Medical Needs policy please contact them directly. An audit of medical needs and policies is produced annually by the Local Authority.

The Health Conditions in School Alliance is an organisation made up of 30 charities to support children with Medical Conditions in schools. Take a look at their website for more information and advice.

The DfE has set out responsibilities for all involved in the care for a child with medical needs:

• The Local Authority
• The Governing Body
• The Headteacher
• Parents
• The child
• School staff
• School Nurses
• Other Medical professionals

• Commission school nurses for maintained schools.
• Promote co-operation between relevant partners.
• The local authorities and Integrated Care Board (ICB) must make joint arrangements for education, health and care provision for children and young people with SEN or disabilities.
• Local authorities should provide support, advice and guidance, including suitable training for school staff, to ensure that the support specified within individual healthcare plans can be delivered effectively.
• Local authorities should work with schools to support pupils with medical conditions to attend full-time.
• Where pupils would not receive a suitable education in a mainstream school because of their health needs, the local authority has a duty to make other arrangements.
• Must make arrangements for children who are off school for more than 15 days.

• Ensure all pupils with medical conditions are supported to enable the fullest participation possible in all aspects of school life.
• They should also ensure that any members of school staff who provide support to pupils with medical conditions are able to access information and other teaching support materials as needed.

• Ensure policy is developed and implemented
• Make sure all staff are aware of policy
• Ensure all staff know about the condition
• Ensure sufficient staff are trained
• Have overall responsibility for the health care plans
• Notify the school nurse of children

• Must provide the school with sufficient and up to date information
• May need to be the ones to tell school about the medical need.
• Should be involved in the development of the plan
• Should carry out any actions they agree (such as providing medication)

• Should be fully involved in discussions about the medical needs
• Should contribute as much as possible.
• Should comply with the care plan.

Other students should be sensitive to medical needs.

• Any member may be asked to help with medical needs including giving medicine but they cannot be required to.
• Should receive appropriate training before taking on responsibility of meeting medical needs.

• Must be responsible for notifying the school where a child has a medical need.
• May support implementing the plan (for example training)
• Liaise with clinicians on appropriate care
• are available for advice from schools

• Health professionals including GPs should let the school nurses know when a child has a medical condition.
• Can provide advice on creating medical care plans
• Specialist local teams can provide support

Preparing for adulthood should be an ongoing process rather than a single event. And it should be tailored to your needs.

The term “Transitions” describes how we support young people with SEND to move from:

• Children’s Services to
• Services offering support when you turn 18

Young people and their families can feel confused when moving from Children’s Services to adult support. For example:

• There may not be a single equivalent service to support you after making the change from Children’s Services.
• You will be seen as an independent adult capable of making decisions, consenting to services and sharing information about yourself with other people. Planning and preparing early will help make it a more positive experience. And it will also help build confidence and independence for moving into adulthood.
• This change can be difficult to adjust to.

The North Lincolnshire Preparing for Adulthood Protocol aims to ensure that professionals across education, health and social care are consistent in their approach to providing a seamless and safe transition from adolescent to adulthood, enabling young adults to achieve the best possible outcomes in employment, independent living, positive relationships, community inclusion and good health.

The Learning Disability and Sensory Team – works in partnership with young people (with a range of disabilities/complex health needs) and their families to start the planning for this change from year 9 (age 13 or 14) and more intensively from Year 11 (age 16).

For many young people, transition plans will be part of their Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP).

This procedure is based on a ‘person centred’ approach. The person centred approach means that we focus on your needs at every stage of moving from Children’s Services. Your choices and preferences lead planning as much as possible.

Each of the Preparing for Adult outcomes will be considered when supporting you to plan and set your goals: These outcomes are set out in law and are as follows:

• Education and employment
• Being part of the community and having relationships
• Health and wellbeing
• Independent living and housing options

We will review and update your “person centred” plan every year. A meeting will take place with you and your family / circle of support. We can meet you in person or by telephone.

North Lincolnshire Council must assess:

• a young person
• young carer, or
• an adult caring for a child

if they have needs when they, or the child they care for, turns 18.

The council will assess you if there is a significant benefit to you. This is regardless of whether you currently receive any services.

A young person’s eligibility for adult and community wellbeing support should be established when they are 16 years old, and no later than 17 and a half. This depends on the level and complexity of need and planning required.

A young person is eligible if they are disabled and has an Education Health and Care Plan, and has been assessed as having severe learning difficulties and/or autism, a physical or sensory impairment, or a mental health problem or is “Looked After” and has an Education Health and Care Plan identifying them as having learning difficulties, physical disability or sensory impairments which would mean that they would be deemed to be vulnerable as young adults or is a care leaver and whose continuing needs will require referral on to Adult and Community Wellbeing or receives support from Children and Families function.

If you are an adult living with a learning, physical or sensory disability you can be referred to the team for advice, information and support.

You could also be a young person preparing for adulthood. It may be you, your family or someone you know, for example your teacher or doctor (GP). If you do not have a named worker to support you with this referral please contact Adult and Community Wellbeing Access team on 01724 297000.

Someone from Adult and Community Wellbeing will contact you to discuss your request. This will be over the telephone or at your home or somewhere else, like work, college or our office. We will always provide information, support and advice to access further services, including how to get support.

For more information about young carers, please read the Wellbeing and young carers teams section.

We provide an assessment and care and support planning service for adults who live with a learning and/or physical disability. This includes adults who live with a sensory impairment.

We also support young people from 14 -18 who are preparing for and entering into adulthood, who have additional needs and are eligible for support from Adult and Community Wellbeing. We work closely with education, health and children’s service to make this transition from school or college as smooth as possible.

If you are an adult living with a learning, physical or sensory disability you can be referred to the team for advice, information and support. You could also be a young person preparing for adulthood. It may be you, your family or someone you know, for example your teacher or doctor (GP). If you do not have a named worker to support you with this referral please contact Adult and Community Wellbeing Access team on 01724 298000.

Someone from Adult and Community Wellbeing will contact you to discuss your request. This will be over the telephone or at your home or somewhere else, like work, college or our office. We will always provide information, support and advice to access further services, including how to get support.

• Information, advice and signposting to other support
• Assessment and reviews – know your needs and achieve your planned outcomes
• Relationships and lifestyle
• Crisis Intervention and safeguarding adults
• Support with specialist housing needs
• Community access
• Low level equipment for sensory impairment
• Disability registration

Disabled children have the same rights as any other child to be protected and cared for properly.

Sometimes, however, due to the nature of their disability, disabled children can be more vulnerable to harm or abuse.

This can be because they might:

• have difficulties in communicating or telling someone about the harm
• have multiple carers (sometimes providing personal care for them)
• be less likely to openly complain than other children, or
• may not have the cognitive ability to know that something is wrong.

Children can suffer harm or abuse in a number of ways. Either through:

• their care being neglected
• suffering sexual abuse
• being physically hurt
• or being emotionally harmed

Most of us worry more about strangers abusing our children. But unfortunately, when children are abused, it is usually by someone they know.

As parents, you know your child best and you will usually be the first to notice if something seems wrong.

Things to look out for

• changes in your child’s behaviour, becoming upset for no reason etc
• unusual marks or bruises without good reason or explanation
• your child seeming wary, anxious, or unusually withdrawn
• signs that routine basic care has not been provided
• or sexualised behaviour unusual for your child or beyond the child’s knowledge

It is difficult to provide a full list. Therefore, it is best for you to rely on your instincts as a parent and note any changes that seem particularly worrying.

If you suspect your child has been harmed

If you suspect that your child has been harmed, try to stay calm and try to communicate with your child in a calm manner.

• Try to find out how they are and if they have any fears or worries.
• If a specific injury has occurred, find out if anything has happened to them that they are unhappy with.
• Try not to ask leading questions or make assumptions.
• You may want to get support from a trusted friend or relative but you should always tell your child’s Social Worker. The Social Worker will make an assessment of the situation and take further steps if necessary.
• If your child does not have a Social Worker you should still tell a Social Worker by telephoning Children’s Services on 01724 296500. Ask to be put through to a duty Social Worker. The Social Worker will always listen carefully to you and will take your concerns seriously.

Children at immediate risk

If it is an emergency and your child is at immediate risk then you should contact the Police by dialling 999.

If the Social Worker assesses that your child may have suffered or is suffering significant harm, then they will discuss the matter with the Police and investigate it. This may involve talking to your child by Social Workers and Police Officers whom are trained in communicating with children and young people.

Your child will always be supported through the process. All referrals relating to a child being harmed or abused will result in a Children’s Services Assessment being undertaken. This assessment is about your child’s needs, and your needs as a parent.

If the allegations are about someone who works with children, then there are special procedures for dealing with this that include considering the safety of other children.

North Lincolnshire Council is committed to delivering excellent customer service. Listening to our customers and learning from customer feedback enables the council to improve its services and meet the needs of customers more effectively.

We want to make it as easy as possible for customers to let us know their views, including how to make a complaint. Have a look at the document Your Right to Complain

North Lincolnshire’s complaints policy sets out how customers can make a complaint about council services, and how we will respond to and learn from complaints received. You can read the Policy here

Service specific complaints should be made to the Customer Contact and Relationship Manager.

Further details on ‘How to make a complaint’ as well as the facility to make an on-line complaint about council services are available on the council website.

If you feel that discussions have not addressed your concerns you can contact Community Accord for mediation. This is an independent service available to help sort out SEN disagreements in Yorkshire and Humberside. The people involved in the dispute work together to reach an acceptable solution with the help of a mediator. Using the mediation service does not affect your right of appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability). You can use mediation at any time during a disagreement.

Parents and young people can appeal to The First Tier Tribunal (SEN and Disability) about EHC needs assessments and EHC plans, following contact with a mediation adviser in most cases.

Advice on making SEND appeals to the Tribunal is available from gov.uk.

PANS and PANDAS are neuropsychiatric conditions. This means they are medical conditions which have both neurological (eg. difficulties with thinking or moving) and psychiatric (ie. mental health) symptoms.

PANS and PANDAS are often grouped together because they share lots of symptoms in common. Both conditions can begin quite suddenly, and symptoms may come and go over time.

Symptoms

People with PANS and PANDAS may experience a variety of different physical and mental health symptoms, such as:

• OCD
• Anxiety (heightened anxiety, separation anxiety, irrational fears, panic episodes)
• Tics
• Emotional lability and/or depression
• Irritability, aggression, and/or severely oppositional behaviours
• Behavioural (developmental) regression (increase in temper tantrums, loss of age-appropriate language, clingy behaviour not related to anxiety)
• Sudden deterioration in school performance (due to difficulties with memory, concentration, hyperactivity, impulsivity, new deficits of visuospatial skills)
• Motor or sensory abnormalities (dysgraphia, clumsiness, tics, new sensory sensitivities to light, noise, smell, taste or texture)
• Insomnia and/or sleep disturbances
• Enuresis and/or urinary frequency.

Sometimes hallucinations and/or psychosis might be part of the symptoms experienced, however they are not officially part of the diagnostic criteria.

Remember that children with PANS or PANDAS may present with a different combination of symptoms, and that these symptoms may change over time. You do not need all the symptoms in the list to be diagnosed with PANS or PANDAS.

Further information, advice and support is available through the PANS/PANDAS website.

Functional neurological disorder (FND) describes a problem with how the brain receives and sends information to the rest of the body. FND can have many symptoms that can vary from person to person. Some people may have few symptoms, and some people may have many. For further information please click here.

Postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) is when your heart rate increases very quickly after getting up from sitting or lying down, often making you feel dizzy or lightheaded. There's currently no cure, but it can be managed with changes to your lifestyle, or sometimes treatment with medicines. Further information, advice and support is available through the NHS website.

Epilepsy is a condition that affects your brain and causes seizures (sometimes called fits). It cannot currently be cured, but treatment can often help manage it. Further information, advice and support is available through the NHS website. Epileptic seizures are different from febrile seizures, which can happen in children when they have a high temperature.

Cerebral palsy is the name for a group of lifelong conditions that affect movement and co-ordination. It's caused by a problem with the brain that develops before, during or soon after birth. The symptoms of cerebral palsy are not usually obvious just after a baby is born. They normally become noticeable from an early age. Speak to your health visitor or a GP if you have any concerns about your child's health or development. For further information please click here.

The North Lincolnshire 0-19 (25 SEND) Health and Wellbeing service offers the children, young people and families of North Lincolnshire access to a seamless integrated Health Visiting and School Nursing service.

A specialist support service providing assessment, advice, and management strategies for children and young people experiencing continence difficulties, delivered with understanding and sensitivity by our experienced healthcare professionals.

The team lead the Healthy Child Programme and provide a series of public health interventions from the antenatal period to age 19 and up to the age of 25 for young people with special educational needs.

We offer advice and support on a range of health-related topics including breastfeeding, child health and development, healthy diet and nutrition, transition to school, sexual health and healthy relationships, perinatal and maternal mental health and wellbeing.

The team consists of Health Visitors, School Nurses, Community Nurses, Community Nursery Nurses and support staff. We work in close partnership with our partner agencies in Children’s Centres, the FAAST Team and Social Care with a joint aim of supporting the children, young people and families of North Lincolnshire to reach their full potential.

Health Visiting and School Nursing services are available on 0800 0199951 or via e-mail at rdash.northlincschildrenscaregroup@nhs.net.

• 0-5 Health Visiting
• 5-19 School Nursing
• Bladder and bowel service – children
• ERIC

The NHS Northern Lincolnshire and Goole offer a wide range of services for children and young people both in hospital and out in the community. Our dedicated and highly skilled medical and nursing teams offer a friendly and supportive service.

Hospital Passport

Hospital Passport - a hospital passport provides essential information about your healthcare needs, your learning disability, your preferred communication methods, and ways to make your hospital experience more comfortable. Hospital Passports can be helpful in supporting children, young people and their families with attending hospital appointments.

Learning Disability Liaison Nurses

Learning Disability Liaison Nurses - we help support people with learning disabilities and autism, and their families and carers across the hospitals. We work clinically with patients every day, as well as ensuring that staff are given advice and support so that reasonable adjustments can be made to patient care. We play a critical role in raising the profile and status of people with learning disabilities and autism when attending a hospital.

• Children's Services - Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust
• Sensory Friendly Resource Pack
• Car Parking at Scunthorpe Hospital
• Facilities at Scunthorpe Hospital

Children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) are far more likely than their peers to have sleep problems. These may include difficulty going to sleep, waking frequently throughout the night or waking easily in the morning. Our highly experienced senior sleep practitioners are able to offer sleep workshops to parents of children struggling with sleep issues. In addition, we continue to accept referrals and provide one-to-one specialist sleep clinic support where required.

The KIDS South Bank Sleep Service is funded by Humber Transforming Care Partnership.

During sleep clinics, parents are provided with non-judgemental advice, a sleep plan and support via telephone calls. Referred children must be aged between 1-18 years of age and live in North or North East Lincolnshire or have a GP in this area.

For enquiries, to book a workshop or to refer a family, please email: sleepservicenorthandnel@kids.org.uk or call: 01482 467 540. Please note that further workshop dates will be announced throughout the year.

Sleep Service Workshops

Are you struggling with your child’s sleep and would you like some practical advice on how to transform bedtimes then join one of our workshops:

• Online – 2 December 2024 – 6pm to 8.30pm
• Face to Face – 27 November – 9.30am to 12.30pm – The Canopy Community Hub, Grant Thorald Park, Grimsby

The Sleep Service Melatonin Statement

In response to enquiries about melatonin that is available to purchase online, the sleep service wishes to share the following melatonin statement:

Research evidence has shown that there is variability in the content of melatonin "gummies" manufactured in the US and available on-line.

A study measuring the content of 25 brands of "gummy" found that some products contained up to 4 x the dose stated on the label.

Melatonin gummies can contain high levels of serotonin or CBD and deaths in children taking melatonin gummies have been reported in the US as a result of serotonin overdose.

Melatonin should only be taken under medical supervision and only if behavioural intervention has been offered.

If your child is having sleep problems, please read the information on the Kids website.

Experts such as The Sleep Charity and Sheffield Children's Hospital, and other experts, are actively campaigning to advise the UK government to restrict the availability of on-line melatonin products.

View the health services section for information on this topic.

View the annual health checks section for information on this topic.

Local Support Groups in North Lincolnshire are:

• Magic Moments for Autistic Kids
• North Lincolnshire Parent Forum
• KIDS

To make a complaint about an NHS service

Most NHS care and treatment goes well but sometimes things can go wrong. If you are unhappy with your care or the service you have received, it is important to let the NHS know so they can improve. Take a look at the NHS website for more information.

The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) offers confidential advice, support and information on health-related matters. They provide a point of contact for patients, their families and their carers.

You can find officers from PALS in your local hospital.

Work to help make services better for people living in North Lincolnshire. They listen to your experiences, comments and concerns around the health & care services you use.

Then ensure your voices are heard by those with the power to make change happen.

If you are not happy with an NHS or Social Care service and you do not want to make a formal complaint, you share your experiences with Healthwatch via a survey. Visit the Healthwatch website for more information.

Your School Nursing Team consists of trained nurses, health care assistants and clerical staff. They are trained to work with children, families and school staff and have a special interest in every school aged child’s health and wellbeing.

The team has links with many other professionals, who also work with children, to support children and young people throughout their school life. They provide a link between education and health.

The team works between Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm during term time. There is a restricted service during school holidays.

For more information visit North Lincolnshire School Nursing.

Find information on GP surgeries including how to register and book appointments to see a doctor. Use the address search tool to find your local GP surgeries for a local practice near you.

Your pharmacy can provide you with much more than just dispensing medicine. Pharmacists are highly-trained and qualified professionals and they can offer you advice on treating many minor illnesses and ailments, such as coughs and colds, or long-term conditions such as asthma, arthritis or diabetes. They can also give you advice on keeping healthy by eating well, stopping smoking and taking part in exercise.

Pharmacies have longer opening hours than GPs, you don’t need an appointment to see one and most have a consultation area where you can speak privately.

For contact information and opening times for local pharmacies visit the Find Pharmacy Services on the NHS Choices website and type in your postcode to find your local pharmacies.

Find out why regular eye tests are important. Not only will they tell if you need new glasses or a change of prescription, they are also an important eye health check. An eye test can spot many general health problems and early signs of eye conditions before you are aware of any symptoms. You could be entitled to free NHS eye tests or optical vouchers. Search for your nearest opticians.

• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
• Children's Community Nursing
• Children’s Occupational Therapy
• Children's Physiotherapy
• Children's Therapy Team
• Community and Therapy Services – NHS
• Dental Treatment for people with special needs
• Emotional Health and Wellbeing
• End of life care
• Healthwatch
• Health and Wellbeing Service (0-19) (includes school nurses and health visitors)
• Speech and Language Therapy

• Anyone aged 14 or over who’s on their GP’s learning disability register can have a free annual health check once a year.
• You can ask to go on this register if you think you have a learning disability.
• The learning disability register is different from the register of social care needs managed by local councils.
• Check with your GP practice if you or the person you care for is on the register.

• You’ll get to know your GP better, which will help if you ever do get ill.
• Most health problems are simple to treat once you know about them.
• Your GP can help stop you getting a serious health condition. This is better than waiting until you’re ill.
• You can ask your GP questions about your health, how you’re feeling, your care or any medicines you take.
• Your GP can give you information you need in a way that will help you.

Adults and young people aged 14 or over with a learning disability who are on the GP practice learning disability register should be invited by their GP practice to come for an annual health check.

Most GP surgeries offer annual health checks to people with a learning disability. However, GP surgeries don’t have to offer this service.

If your GP surgery hasn’t offered you an annual health check, you can ask them if they could provide one. If they say no, ask your local community learning disability team for advice. They should be able to help you access an annual health check.

Find local learning disability services.

During the health check, the GP or practice nurse will:

• do a physical check-up, including weight, heart rate, blood pressure and taking blood and urine samples
• talk to you about staying well and if you need any help with this
• ask about things that are more common if you have a learning disability, such as epilepsy, constipation or problems with swallowing
• talk to you about your medicines
• if you have a health problem such as asthma or diabetes, the GP or nurse will check how it’s going
• check to see if you have any other health appointments, such as physiotherapy or speech therapy
• ask if family and/or carers are getting the support they need
• help make sure that things go well when children move to adult services at the age of 18

If your learning disability has a specific cause, the GP or practice nurse will often carry out additional tests if there are any other health risks.

For people with Down’s syndrome, for example, they may do a test to see if the thyroid gland is working properly.

You’ll be asked for your consent (permission) to share information with other services that provide your care. This will help you get the right support if you go to a hospital, for example.

The GP or practice nurse will also give you health information, such as advice on healthy eating, exercise, contraception or stopping smoking.

A reasonable adjustment is when somebody changes how they do things to make it better for you. People with a learning disability have a legal right for reasonable adjustments to be made so they can get the same benefits from healthcare services as everyone else.Ask your GP if you need any reasonable adjustments, such as:

• using pictures, large print or simpler words to say what’s happening
• booking longer appointments
• putting an appointment at the beginning or end of the day, if you find it hard to be in a busy waiting room

The reasonable adjustments you need should be written down in a health profile or health action plan that the GP or nurse can use.

No. All parts of the health check are voluntary.

Anyone who’s having the health check, or their carer, can ask the GP or practice nurse for more information about the process.

The person can then give their consent before any tests or procedures are carried out.

No. The NHS Health Check programme is for all adults aged 40 to 74.

It assesses their risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, diabetes and dementia every 5 years.

Find out more about the NHS Health Check.

In 2016-17, about 53% of people with a learning disability who are on their GP’s learning disability register had a health check. This means just under half of people who are on the register did not have a health check.

However, not everyone with a learning disability is on their GP register, so even more people who could benefit from the free annual health check are missing out.

This information is covered by the Open Government Licence