The Learning Disability Health Team
If you feel unwell or need medical advice, you should:
- see your GP, or
- call 111.
We encourage everyone with a learning disability to have an annual health check. This is when your GP will assess your general health and tell you if you need any treatment.
This is proved to help people stay healthier and live longer.
You can ask your local surgery to book you in for an annual health check.
We have a local Learning Disability Health Team provided by Swansea Bay University Health Board.
They work with adults with a diagnosed learning disability.
They offer specialist health support around your learning disability when your needs cannot be met by usual healthcare services.
They work alongside other health and social care services to make sure your health needs are met.
The team includes:
Community nursing
These nurses are trained to understand learning disability and focus on supporting people with:
- complex health needs,
- epilepsy,
- mental health needs, and
- behavioural needs.
Dietetics
Dieticians are trained to understand learning disabilities and will work with people who need specialist help around food and drink.
Occupational therapy
Occupational therapists asses people’s daily living skills and can tell them things like:
- how to learn skills,
- what small aids and adaptations could be helpful, or
- the best environment for the person.
They also work with the physiotherapist to help you with your posture.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapists work with people where the movement in a part of their body is limited because of:
- disability,
- illness, or
- injury.
The physiotherapists are trained to understand learning disability. They work in the community.
Psychiatry
This is a specialist doctor who is able to assess, diagnose, and treat:
- mental illness,
- dementia,
- challenging behaviour, and
- epilepsy.
Psychology
A psychologist supports people who have difficulties with how they feel, think and behave. They will try to understand the causes and what support is needed.
Speech therapy
The speech therapist assesses people’s communication skills and help to support better communication.
They also assess people who have difficulty eating and drinking and give advice on how people can eat and drink as safely as possible.
Referrals can be made by you, or someone that is involved with you and your agreement. They can help you if you need:
- help to plan a hospital discharge,
- specialist support to get the health care you need,
- support with your behaviour or mental health, or
- help from one of the health professionals.
We work closely with the health team. If the social work team is involved with you, they can make a referral if you need one.
