Teams
Health Facilitation
We are a team specialised in facilitating health care for people with learning disabilities.
We work alongside patients, service users, colleagues and partner organisations across the county to ensure that adults with learning disabilities get the same help and support as everyone else.
We provide accessible health information and advice on accessing health services and staying healthy. We work with health services to reduce the health inequalities experienced by people with learning disabilities in Gloucestershire and we help people with learning disabilities to take charge of their health and lead healthier, happier lives.
Whilst the responsibility for maintaining the health of the person with a learning disability ultimately lies with the person responsible for their care, we can provide paid and unpaid carers with education to increase their knowledge of health prevention and promotion and how to access appropriate health care.
Contact us
Freephone: 0800 019 3346
Email: simon.shorrick@ghc.nhs.uk
Karin.Parker@ghc.nhs.uk
Address: Invista, The NHS Training Hub, Ermin Street, Brockworth, Gloucester GL3 4HP
Our working hours are Mon – Fri 9am – 5pm (excluding bank holidays).
We provide a link between specialist and generic services and help ensure that health action planning and health is given high priority within the patient’s person-centred care plan.
We work closely with GP practices to develop registers of people with learning disabilities. This is to support people with a learning disability, their carers and support workers through the Annual Health Check process by providing information, advice and resources. This also helps identify which practices need support to carry out Annual Health Checks.
Our Learning Disability Service
The Learning Disability Health Facilitation team is a part of a wider Learning Disability team at Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust.
We work alongside the following LD services. Click on the links to find out more:
- Community Learning Disability Team
- Intensive Health Outreach Team
- Learning Disability Intensive Support Service
- Community Intensive Health Outreach Team
We also work alongside the GHNHSFT Learning Disabilities Hospital Liaison Nurses at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital and Cheltenham General Hospital.
More information
Big Health Day
Every year we support the Big Health Check Day, a popular annual event which takes place in Gloucester in June.
The day gives people with learning disabilities, a mental health condition, hearing or sensory loss to stay active and healthy as well as their friends, families and carers, the chance to learn about living a healthy lifestyle and find out about the advice and support available in the county.
To find out more about, or to get involved with, the next planned event, contact organiser: Simon.Shorrick@ghc.nhs.uk
Going to hospital - My Health Passport
My Health Passport is an Easy Read communication tool which can assist healthcare professionals to understand the individual person and their everyday needs. It can be used in conjunction with other personal records but most importantly, it is intended to help healthcare staff at the point of contact to get to know the individual.
Find out more and download an Easy Read copy of My Health Passport or speak to our team to find out more.
Remember to prepare before you attend your hospital appointment. Take a look at these Easy Read Questions to ask when you go to the doctor or to hospital
Mencap has developed easy read health guides on their getting help with your health page including information about Hospital passports.
Inclusion Gloucestershire has made a short film about the learning disability support services at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital and Cheltenham General Hospital.
GP Annual Health Checks
A learning disability annual health check is for people age 14 years and over on their GP Learning Disability Register. Health checks are free!
To make your appointment more accessible, the GP Practice may be able to give you a longer appointment, or book an appointment when your carer can attend.
They may also be able to give you information in Easy Read format.
- Mencap has developed an Easy Read guide About having an Annual Health Check
- Click here for lots of other resources from the Mencap ‘Don’t Miss Out’ campaign.
- Inclusion Gloucestershire has made this Get Checked Stay Well short film about a learning disability Annual Health Check.
Reasonable Adjustments
Sometimes people with a learning disability need support to help them use mainstream health services like anyone else. Reasonable adjustments are helpful changes to how services work.
The Equality Act 2010 means public sector organisations like us must make changes to ensure our services are accessible to everybody including those with a disability.
We offer training, advice and support with tools and resources – contact us to find out more, or take a look at the below:
- An Easy Read appointment letter created by Surrey Health Action, which has been highlighted nationally as good practice, can be found by clicking on this link
- More information about reasonable adjustments can be found on the NHS England website
- Mencap’s Treat Me Well: Asking for reasonable adjustments film frovides a helpful overview: YouTube
- Inclusion Gloucestershire has developed this Making Adjustments film: Click Here
- Mencap has also developed this Treat Me Well: Asking for reasonable adjustments short film.
- Inclusion Gloucestershire has developed this Making Adjustments short film.
Mental Health Information
- Mencap has shared a useful What Autism means to me video
- MindEd has developed an easy read leaflet on Anxiety
- The Royal College of Psychiatrists has shared a range of useful easy read leaflets on anxiety, autism, bipolar, dementia and more
General mental health support
- Gloucestershire Talking Therapies offers Cognitive Behavioural Therapy which is an evidence-based treatment for common mental health problems. The service was previously known as Let’s Talk. Visit their resources page for more.
- Visit our Help in a crisis page for the support available in a mental health emergency.
- Visit our Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service information to find out more about the range of specialist emotional wellbeing and mental health services for all children and young people aged under 18 in the county.
Physical Health Information
- Easy Health is an online library of accessible health information with simple words, clear pictures and films. See the full list here>
- A Picture of Health NHS South of England website helps clinicians provide Easy Read information to people with learning disabilities. See the full list here>
- Healthy Lifestyles Gloucestershire (HLS) can work with you to identify and help you achieve small changes that make a big difference. The website includes information such as referrals, recipes and top tips.
- Inclusion Gloucestershire has created some films about accessing health services and what to expect.
- The Foundation for people with Learning Disabilities has a range of easy read guides to health conditions.
Restore2 Mini Glos offers e-learning resources for non-registered care staff and families, including recognising when a person’s health is deteriorating is important – spotting the early warning signs and reporting your concern.
Access the Resuscitation Council UK’s ReSPECT resources including Easy Read leaflets and translated versions of the ReSPECT Patient Guide.
Resources for professionals
The latest LD resources for GPs and other healthcare professionals in the county are available on G-Care. Contact: glicb.g-care@nhs.net if you do not have access or to ask a question.
We worked with Inclusion Gloucestershire to develop a series of films and resources for GPs and health professionals regarding making adjustments for people with a learning disability including:
- Inclusion Gloucestershire Making Adjustments
- Interviews from Making Adjustments to Health Care
- Was not brought – a film about the difficulties faced by those who need assistance to access healthcare
The Resuscitation Council UK has developed films and resources that support the ReSPECT process. Click on this link for more ReSPECT resources including Easy Read leaflets and translated versions of the ReSPECT Patient Guide.
