1. Good Practice and Innovation Shown in
Learning Disability Health Services –
The Self Assessment Framework 2009/10
Presented at the
“Healthy Lives Showcase Event”
Friday 9th July 2010

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Good Practice in the West Midlands
Many examples of good practice were seen across the region.
You can add useful contact information and notes to this table if you like.
Two areas of good work have been selected from each district and are presented here
today:
1.The Growing Old with a Learning Disability and LEAD: Sam.davies@benpct.nhs.uk
Birmingham Dementia (GOLDD) project – helping people who are
getting older or having problems with their memory. Website: http://www.tellusmore.org/
2. Dignity Champions to help people with a learning
disability get better care in local hospitals.
LEAD:
Coventry 1. The Grapevine Project, which includes a Buddy Anima.Thawait@coventrypct.nhs.uk
system, where buddies go along to health
appointments with people – part of the “H Team Website: http://coventry.ldpb.info
model”. www.covwarkpt.nhs.uk
2. A wide range of accessible screening tools used
in health care have been made.

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Lead: Neill.Bucktin@dudley.nhs.uk
Dudley 1. A good database and register to identify people
with a learning disability in Dudley http://www.dudleyld.org/
2. The Learning Disability Support Line – is run by
the PALS service. They can help people to make
complaints.
This is an independent signposting service
facilitated by volunteers. The service is for people
with learning disabilities and/or their carers to get
information in a format which suits their needs
and/or to assist the person to make a complaint and
get resolution.
LEAD: skeetley@herefordshire.gov.uk
Hereford 1. There is good work going on in transition
services, which is when children turn into adults. Website:
http://herefordshire.ldpb.info/
Herefordshire Transition Team have worked with
schools to introduce a transition toolkit to assist
the young person with a learning disability and their
families to make plans towards adulthood which are
person centred and look at the whole of life.
Additionally, one school has been working with the
national Getting a Life programme in Herefordshire
to look at how we can make reviews in school more

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person centred to improve the pathway to
employment for young adults.
2. People’s Union – which involves teaching and
supporting individuals to make a complaint.
The People's Union created a Bill of Rights. It is a
simple and easy to understand guide which helps
people with learning disabilities to know their rights
and why it is important to use them. The People's
Union have also carried out workshops for people
with learning disabilities on how to make a complaint
if they are unhappy. This work is continuing and
evolving.
LEAD:
Staffordshire 1. The bereavement project - which helps people christine.adams@staffordshire.gov.uk
(North and who have lost a family member of friend.
South) Website: http://www.staffordshire-
Bereavement Care Project: ldpb.info/
The Learning Disability Development project in
North Staffordshire - four main areas of work
include:
• One to one counselling
• Training professional, carers, families and service

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users in and around Bereavement and Loss
• Workshops for individuals with Learning
disabilities
• Peer mentoring group for individuals with learning
disabilities
2. A training programme for doctors and midwives
which is given by service users.
The Mencap Staffordshire Self Advocacy Network
has been working with Keele and Staffordshire
Universities since 2002 to provide user led
workshops / training for medical students to ensure
they have an understanding of the barriers facing
people with learning disabilities when accessing
health services.
LEAD: Richard.Young@sandwell-
Sandwell 1. NHS Campus reprovision- Changing people's pct.nhs.uk
support and living arrangements, moving to
andrew_pritchard@sandwell.gov.uk
independent Living with better access and better
outcomes.
2. The Inclusion Web - a dynamic tool to check
that people are socially included and have good

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lives. This links to the good work of the self-
advocacy group "Changing Our Lives".
LEAD:
Shropshire 1. Lots of work around sexual health and parenting. jackie.taylor@shropshirepct.nhs.uk
This includes a sexual health clinic, learning-
disability awareness training for midwives, and a
parenting strategy that includes people with a
learning disability
2. There is some good work going on with Learning
Disability Services and the End of Life Care Team.
LEAD: catherine.nolan@solihull-
Solihull 1. There is good work going on to support ct.nhs.uk
individuals with challenging behaviour and complex
needs live in their own homes.
Website: http://www.easy-read-
online.co.uk/news/solihull-learning-
2. Good team work with services:
disability-services.aspx
- Dieticians and speech therapists to help people
with swallowing problems.
- Learning disability services and the End of Life
care team.
Unfortunately Stoke are unable to showcase LEAD: Kevin.Day@stoke.gov.uk and
Stoke anything today.

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Mark.Tunstall@stoke.nhs.uk
1. The SNAP project which helps hospital staff know if a
person going into hospital has a learning disability, so more
Website:
can be done.
http://www.equalpeopleinstoke.org/
2. Better access to the dentist for people with a learning
disability living in Stoke.
LEAD: kit.roberts@telfordpct.nhs.uk
Telford & 1. A special worker has been employed to work with
Wrekin people with a learning disability from Black and
Ethnic minority backgrounds.
2. There are lots of exciting and personal ways to
improve the health of people with a learning
disability.
LEAD: Andy.Rust@walsall.nhs.uk
Walsall 1. Lots of work has been done to increase the
number of people who are screened for Cancer. Website: www.walsalltogether.net
This has been done as part of the Pacesetters
Programme.
Screening Our Ladies’ Walsall & Pacesetters
• Walsall has increased the uptake to NHS cancer
screening programmes by people with a learning
disability as part of the Pacesetters Programme.

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• Our project aim was to increase uptake to cancer
screening programmes and increase health
awareness, choice, independence and empowerment
by people with a learning disability. This was done
by initiating health promotion groups, e.g. ‘Looking
After our Bits’ for women’s health and ‘Looking
after out 'Bits and Bobs ‘ for men’s health, easy
read information, visual aids, pre visits to the
breast screening unit, longer appointment times and
easy read invitation letters.
2. The use of “Elephant kiosks” as a user friendly,
touch-screen tool. It is used for gaining or giving
information from people with a learning disability.
Elephant kiosks are a user friendly tool for ‘gaining’
or ‘giving’ information to service users. The kiosks
have touch screens which can be used with pointing
devices, screen readers and text magnifiers. They
have a friendly design that attracts people to use
them and are great for both children and adults.
They are an excellent tool for making information
as accessible as possible.

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1. A role of a senior nurse in helping people with LEAD: trish.wood@warwickshire.nhs.uk
Warwickshire learning disabilities – where they work as both an and rebeccahale@warwickshire.gov.uk
acute facilitator and a health facilitator.
Website:
2. A programme of training for GP’s and other http://warwickshire.ldpb.info/
health care staff given by service users. www.covwarkpt.nhs.uk
1. The “Healthy Lifestyles” project, which LEAD:
Wolverhampton encourages healthy eating and living. kathy.roper@wolverhampton.gov.uk
It also links to the joint work between dental Wendy.ewins@wolverhampton.gov.uk
services and learning disability services to improve
oral health.
The Healthy Lifestyles project has been running in
the day centres of Wolverhampton to increase
awareness among people with a learning disability
about healthy choices in food and exercise.
Work has been done with the dental services to
improve the oral health of people with learning
disabilities, including Oral Health Action Plans.
2. A supported living service has been made and
started for people with a learning disability and
autism so they can live safely on their own.

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LEAD: rkrivosic@worcestershire.gov.uk
Worcester 1. A Healthy lifestyle course is run for people with
a learning disability, to keep people healthy.
Website:
http://worcestershire.ldpb.info/
2. Link nurses - providing support to health
services, which includes looking after the GP
register of people with a learning disability, staff
training and advice about capacity and best
interest.
There is also a “Health checkers” programme –
which involves people with a learning disability
auditing other people’s experiences of health
services.