NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) and Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) staff have signed a pledge to commit to a national “I Am Here” message for people with learning disabilities, a reminder that everyone deserves to be seen, heard, and included.
This was signed last week as staff acknowledged the positive steps that have been taken to ensure that healthcare is more accessible for people with learning disabilities, including screening and Learning Disability Health Checks.
NHSGGC Inequalities Sensitive Practice Development Lead for Learning Disabilities and Health Screening, Clare Smith, said:
“Our learning disability services and screening programmes have been working to improve awareness and accessibility.
“Our Learning Disability Health Check Team is helping patients by providing easy read booklets about the screening programmes, discussing reasonable adjustments that can make appointments easier, and offering support so patients feel confident to book and attend any screening appointments which are overdue.
“Our screening programmes continue to evolve, and we’re committed to driving our work for accessibility even further. An example of this is that our Diabetic Eye Screening Team now has a dedicated enhanced pathway to support people with learning disabilities through their diabetic eye screening journey.
“We’re very grateful to all the staff who are helping progress this in their services. Together, we can make sure people with learning disabilities are included and supported in every part of screening: feeling seen, heard and included.”
The screening programmes include cervical screening, bowel screening, breast screening, abdominal aortic aneurysm screening and diabetic eye screening.
Cheryl, a passionate advocate, has recorded a video encouraging others to attend their cervical screening appointments when invited, and has given an example of how someone with a learning disability, or their carer, can request reasonable adjustments for any of these screening appointments.
NHSGGC also want to ensure that people with learning disabilities are aware of how they can access sexual health screening and Sandyford’s ongoing work supports adults with learning disabilities to have positive relationships and sexual health experiences.
Rhoda MacLeod, Head of Sandyford, said:
“We wish to encourage more people living with a learning disability to attend and have a positive experience at our services in a supported manner. We have programmes running to support this such as each HSCP learning disability team having a resource box to support conversations and workshops. New easy read resources, like the male condoms guide, are also helping make sexual health information more accessible.” The NHSGGC and HSCP Learning Disability Health Check Team is also working hard to ensure patients with learning disabilities access health services and have a good experience.
Tom Kelly, Head of Adult Services: Learning Disability, Mental Health & Recovery at East Renfrewshire HSCP, who host the Learning Disability in-patient services and health check team, said:
“Last week, we celebrated Scottish Learning Disability Week, a time to recognise the incredible work being done across our learning disability (LD) services. A huge thank you to all our dedicated staff, including our LD inpatient team, for the compassionate care and support you provide every day.
“We’re especially proud of Alana Boyle, Nurse Team Lead, and Stephanie Mason, Health Care Professional with the Learning Disability Health Check Team, who were invited to present at the Scottish Commission for People with Learning Disabilities (SCLD) event, ‘I am here, and I am healthy’, on the 8th of September.
“Their presentation showcased a powerful case study promoting annual health checks, which led to one individual receiving venepuncture for the first time, and ultimately being diagnosed with haemochromatosis.”
This team were also recognised by a patient who anonymously provided positive feedback via Care Opinion. The feedback highlights the impact of the team’s person-centred approach:
“My daughter who has Downs Syndrome would not let nurses or doctors take her blood, which should be monitored every year for her thyroid. My daughter was invited for a medical overview by the Learning Disability Team who are based in Barrhead Health Service but travel to other health centres for this check-up.
“This service I knew nothing about, but the staff were great and told me that my daughter could be referred to the service for bloods. My daughter had a one to one in her own home with what I can only say was an angel. Steph was terrific with my daughter and so patient with her.
“After a couple of weeks, she got bloods from my daughter with no distress, no drama, as she totally trusted Steph and knew exactly what was going on.”
Easy Read booklets can be found below:
a-smear-test-could-save-your-life-april2025-easy-read-1907.pdf
breast-screening-explained-june25-easy-read-1980.pdf
bowel-screening-test-aug25-easy-read-2003.pdf
abdominal-aortic-aneurysm-screening-information-april25-easy-read-1914.pdf
