Supporting patients with learning disabilities

Everyone has the right to access healthcare services in a way that meets their needs. To help our patients have the best possible experience of being at our hospital, we work hard to make sure we have an understanding and awareness of their needs and make reasonable adjustments.

To help us we use a range of different tools and resources. These include:

My hospital passport

We use a ‘hospital passport’ to help you or your carer to tell us important information about you and your needs.

The passport looks like this.

Makaton cards

We can use Matakon signs and symbols to help patients to communicate and let us know what they would like and how they feel.

Easy-read health information

Easyhealth.org.uk has lots of information on its website about different health topics and medical conditions. You can read more here.

Training our staff

We provide all of our staff with learning disability and awareness training, to help them better support our patients.

Learning disabilities acute liaison nurse

We are supported by an acute learning disability liaison nurse who helps us provide care and treatment plans that meets your needs. This includes making any reasonable adjustments.

The nurse will make sure you understand your care and treatment plan.

We can also offer you longer appointment times and encourage you to bring any communication support tools that you use (e.g. communication boards).

Who can I speak to?

If you have any questions you can speak to any member of our staff. You can contact us using the information on your appointment letter, to speak to someone when you come to us.

If you want to speak to the Learning Disabilities Health Facilitation Team who support QVH you can call 01403 620438.

Page last updated: 17 November 2023.