People with learning disabilities face significant barriers in accessing healthcare, leading to poorer health outcomes compared to the general population. This report examines five key areas of preventive care – obesity, cancer screening, mental health, annual health checks, and early diagnosis -to assess how well services support this group.
Findings show that people with learning disabilities are more likely to be obese, yet weight management programs are often inaccessible. Cancer screening rates are significantly lower, with many cases diagnosed too late. Only 26% of people with learning disabilities are on the learning disability register, limiting access to essential services like annual health checks and vaccinations. Mental health care is also inadequate, with many receiving medication rather than effective therapies.
To address these issues, the report recommends improving the quality of annual health checks, increasing learning disability registrations, expanding care coordination roles, ensuring staff are trained in making reasonable adjustments, and introducing tailored weight management programs. By making these changes, healthcare services can provide more inclusive and effective care for people with learning disabilities.
Visit Nuffield Trust to read this report Return to the Insight Bank