Royal College of General Practitioners - Online Learning Environment

This is a recording of a live conference that took place on 8 April 2025. This recording will be available to view until 30 January 2026.

The national learning disability mortality review programme ‘learning from lives and deaths – LeDeR’ has shone a light on the huge health inequalities experienced by this population. This course will cover a variety of topics aiming to help GPs support the health needs and complexity of their patients with a learning disability. 

Learning objectives:

• To develop understanding of the health inequalities revealed by the learning disability mortality review programme LeDeR
• To hear the voice of people with a learning disability and their family carers and the importance of making reasonable adjustments to improve access to care
• To consider how to identify people with a learning disability, and to manage high quality care of that population including by the annual health check
• To support GPs in considering how to implement the Mental Capacity Act when caring for people with a learning disability
• To develop understanding of the multimorbidity experienced by this population and the consequent need for care planning
• To gain a greater understanding of the wider MDT supporting the care of people with a learning disability

Topics include:

• Down syndrome – including the issues need to be covered in a down syndrome annual health check and reference to the Down Syndrome Act 
• Audiology – hearing problems – assessment and management in adults with a learning disability 
• Communication in the GP consultation - inclusive consultations: what works for people with a learning disability 
• Obstructive sleep apnoea and its importance in learning disability 
• Family carer perspective
• Constipation and its importance for morbidity and mortality in adults with a learning disability
• Implementing the Mental Capacity Act and making best interest decisions for adults with a learning disability in primary care 
• Advance care planning/Daffodil standards/Victoria and Stuart project