Training package supports safer care for people with a learning disability
19 June 2025
People with a learning disability die approximately 20 years before their peers, facing avoidable health problems due to a range of barriers that limit their access to healthcare.
Learning Disability Week (16 – 22 June), led by Mencap, focuses on people with a learning disability being seen, heard and valued, and NHS Wales Performance and Improvement is highlighting the week to raise awareness of making reasonable adjustments for people with a learning disability.
All public facing health and social care staff within NHS Wales are encouraged to complete an online training package aimed at raising awareness of the needs of people with a learning disability within health and social care settings.
The Paul Ridd Learning Disability Awareness training has been produced alongside people with a learning disability and key stakeholders from across health services and the third sector.
The training aims to support healthcare staff to develop their own confidence and abilities to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that people with a learning disability have access to appropriate healthcare.
Building knowledge, skills and competence across the workforce is a key action in reducing health inequalities for people with a learning disability.
Paul Ridd’s legacy for the people of Wales
Paul Ridd lived in Wales. He had a learning disability and in 2009 died an avoidable death. He was fifty-four years old. Since losing Paul, his family and others have campaigned for better training and support for healthcare staff to deliver safer care to people with a learning disability. Paul’s story is sadly not an isolated case.
The training gives staff awareness of the barriers faced by people with a learning disability when accessing healthcare. It covers topics including communication, understanding and responding to behaviour, the health needs of people with a learning disability, and legal and policy issues.
“The values, knowledge and skills that healthcare staff will acquire through completing this vital training will really make a difference to the experience of patients with a learning disability. This training is a legacy to Paul, and we are grateful for the support of Welsh Government in making this mandatory.” – The Paul Ridd Foundation
Dr Rachel Ann Jones, National Learning Disability Programme Lead, NHS Wales Performance and Improvement, said: “As we have sadly seen too many times, the barriers faced by people with a learning disability when accessing healthcare can have devastating consequences, which is why this training is so important.
“It covers a range of topics including communication, understanding and responding to behaviour, the health needs of people with a learning disability, legal and policy issues.
“We and Paul’s family hope the training will provide information for healthcare staff on what they need to know and do, to effectively identify and meet the health needs of people with learning disabilities. By empowering the workforce with improved knowledge, we are taking an undeniably positive step in reducing health inequalities that currently exist for people with learning disabilities.”
The Paul Ridd Learning Disability Awareness Training is divided into two sections; tier 1 for all public facing staff and tier 2 aimed at all health and social care professionals that work in learning disability services, can be undertaken via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR) or via the Learning@Wales site.