Learning disabilities

Increasingly, people with a learning disability will be living in the community and being seen in mainstream NHS services. This programme considers action that those working in mainstream services can take that will support this key element of NHS care.

This programme has been designed to enable you to contribute and respond more effectively to the needs of people with a learning disability, their carers and their support workers, to optimise their medicines and improve their health outcomes.

Learning Objectives:

• categorise a range of learning disabilities and the differences in capability that can occur in each of these
• describe key policy drivers that support change in the management of people with a learning disability
• explain consent to a person with a learning disability and recognise when to involve family members, carers and support workers in the consultation
• demonstrate patient-centred consultation skills and behaviours to meet the needs of people with a learning disability
• promote physical health and wellbeing and support patients to manage their concurrent physical health conditions
• identify people with a learning disability and concurrent mental health disorder and provide them with advice and support
• support people with a learning disability and their families to manage behaviour that challenges, in line with National Institute of Health and Care Excellence guidance
• explain the importance of a holistic approach to medicines optimisation as a strategy to help people with a learning disability make the most of their medicines.

The aim of this programme is to develop your knowledge and skills to help you manage and optimise care for patients who might lack mental capacity to make a specific decision relating to their medicines at a given point in time.

#CPPEmentalhealth

Learning Objectives:

• summarise the legal framework and professional standards surrounding the Mental Capacity Act 2005
• describe the important role of pharmacy professionals within the multidisciplinary team in ensuring the appropriate application and ongoing assessment of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and its purpose in the use of medicines
• identify situations in which pharmacy professionals might encounter issues concerning mental capacity during their practice, including appropriate use of covert administration of medicines and what issues to consider when making recommendations
• identify suitable sources of information for understanding the assessment and ongoing management of mental capacity and covert administration of medicines
• develop a working knowledge of the content and purpose of policies and procedures which relate to the management of medicines for patients suspected of lacking mental capacity
• recognise the situations which require referrals to other healthcare professionals.

The aim of this e-learning programme is to improve the understanding and skills of community pharmacy teams in implementing the Accessible Information Standard to support people with communication difficulties.

Learning Objectives:

• discuss your responsibilities as a pharmacy team member with regards to the Accessible Information Standard
• describe the importance of meeting customers' communication needs
• identify patients with communication difficulties
• explain how your pharmacy will record, highlight and share information about patients' communication needs
• deliver effective solutions to meet individuals' communication needs
• train other pharmacy team members to enable them to implement the requirements of the Accessible Information Standard.

NHS England Stopping Over-Medication of People with a Learning Disability, Autism or

The overall aim of this programme is to support you to ensure that people with a learning disability have a review of psychotropic medicines and if appropriate a gradual reduction and withdrawal of medicines.

If you want to receive hard copies of these materials for you and your colleagues please access them through the Learning communities section of our website.

Learning Objectives:

• explain the place for medicines use and non-pharmacological intervention in the treatment of behaviour that challenges
• distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate psychotropic prescribing for people with a learning disability
• identify people with a learning disability who may benefit from a review of psychotropic medication.

The overall aim of this programme is to raise your awareness of the challenges faced by people with a learning disability in using medicines, especially those with long-term conditions or taking multiple medicines. This will enable you to support people with a learning disability to optimise their medicines and health and wellbeing.

If you want to receive hard copies of these materials for you and your colleagues please access them through the Learning communities section of our website.

Learning Objectives:

• identify strategies to support people with a learning disability (and their carers) to optimise their medicines and health and wellbeing
• apply verbal and non-verbal communication techniques to engage people with a learning disability in discussions about their medicines
• describe how to appropriately involve carers, family members and support workers in the consultation, and identify how to gain consent to do this.

RPS Medicines optimisation briefing: learning disabilities