GP practices are critically important in supporting people with a Learning Disability (LD) to manage their health and obtain access to the health care they need. Those with a learning disability may have poorer physical and mental health than the general population which means providing excellent health care includes identifying undetected health conditions, providing personalised care, and working collaboratively with families, carers, and other professionals.
The aim of the Lincolnshire Learning Disability Friendly Practice Quality Mark is to improve health outcomes for people with a learning disability living in Lincolnshire by supporting GP practices to improve care quality and patient experience. Everyone is entitled to good health care, and it is vital that LD patients have equal access also.
The Quality Mark aims to recognise good practice in providing accessible health care to people with a learning disability and encourage continuous quality improvement.
Awarding the Quality Mark follows a process: practices apply and provide the required evidence that they meet the standard; an LD Health Check Network panel, including experts-by-experience, reviews applications and approves or provides feedback – the panel may seek views of patients registered at the practice (and their carers); and a register of LD Friendly Practices is maintained by NHS Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board (ICB).
The most recent winner of the award was Parkside Medical Centre in Boston.
The aim of The Learning Disabilities Good Practice Award establishes:
- A Learning Disability Champion in each practice
- Good quality and comprehensive Learning Disability Annual Health Checks are offered
- Service users have a Health Action Plan in place following their Annual Health Check
- The surgery is person-centred
- Reasonable adjustments are offered as appropriate
- Appropriate training is undertaken by the full team
- Information is provided to the patient and carer about what the annual health check entails prior to the appointment
- A three-tier rating is awarded for Practices to continually improve
Published 21st October 2022.