Why Reasonable Adjustments are important for people with learning disablilities
Following a successful national trial, NHS organisations across West Yorkshire are now making preparations to place a new alert flag on the health records of people with disabilities, including learning disabilities, that will make it easier for health and care workers to make Reasonable Adjustments for them. The flag is to be implemented by March 31, 2024.
West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership has worked with people with learning disabilities to produce a short film explaining why Reasonable Adjustments are important for their care and for other people with learning disabilities to know that they can ask for Reasonable Adjustments to be made.
Amanda McKie, Matron Lead for Learning Disabilities at Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Implementation of the Reasonable Adjustments flag holds huge potential for improving health outcomes for people with learning disabilities and autism, ultimately saving lives.
"The flag is immediately visible to those involved in the person's care and ensures that details of a person's specific disabilities are shared consistently so that the right adjustments for the individual can be made. it makes life easier for carers as they will know what adjustments are being made, and for patients, who should experience less stress when they attend their appointment.
"We expect that it will also make it easier for people to access screening and other preventative services which will help them to stay well in the longer term."
