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Acute care toolkit 16: Acute medical care for people with a learning disability

It is estimated that approximately 2% of the adult population has a learning disability. On average, people with a learning disability die 20 years younger than their peers.

People with a learning disability experience worse patient safety outcomes and quality of care in hospital; clinical challenges include delayed presentation, communication, behaviours of distress and diagnostic overshadowing.

All staff working in acute medical units should read this toolkit, as they will care for people with a learning disability who present acutely unwell to hospital. An Easy Read version of the toolkit is also available to download.

The toolkit contains:

  • top tips on caring for people with a learning disability
  • guidance on reasonable adjustments
  • features of acute presentations of people with a learning disability
  • considerations for the treatment of common medical problems in this patient group
  • medicolegal and safeguarding considerations
  • recommendations for quality improvement and education.

The Acute care toolkit: Acute medical care for people with a learning disability was supported by funding from NHS England Learning Disability and Autism Programme.