Intellectual Disability in Health and Social Care

Many practitioners within health and social care come into contact with people with intellectual disabilities and want to work in ways that are beneficial to them by making reasonable adjustments in order to meet clients’ needs and expectations. Yet the health and wellbeing of people with learning disabilities continues to be a neglected area, where unnecessary suffering and premature deaths continue to prevail.

This text provides a comprehensive insight into intellectual disability healthcare. It is aimed at those who are training in the field of intellectual disability nursing and also untrained practitioners who work in both health and social care settings. Divided into five sections, it explores how a wide range of biological, health, psychological and social barriers impact upon people with learning disability, and includes:

• Six guiding principles used to adjust, plan and develop meaningful and accessible health and social services
• Assessment, screening and diagnosis of intellectual disability across the life course
• Addressing lifelong health needs
• Psychological and psychotherapeutic issues, including sexuality, behavioural and mental health needs, bereavement, and ethical concerns.
• The changing professional roles and models of meeting the needs of people with intellectual and learning disabilities.

Intellectual Disability in Health and Social Care provides a wide-ranging overview of what learning disability professionals’ roles are and provides insight into what health and social care practitioners might do to assist someone with intellectual disabilities when specific needs arise.

Stacey Atkinson is a Senior Lecturer of Learning Disability Nursing and Field Leader for Learning Disability Nursing in the Department of Human and Health Sciences at the University of Huddersfield, UK.

Joanne Lay is a Learning Disability Nurse currently working as a Nurse Lecturer in the School of Healthcare, University of Leeds, UK.

Su McAnelly is a Registered Nurse for people with learning disabilities who now works in the Higher Education sector as a Director of Programmes at Northumbria University, UK.

Malcolm Richardson is a Learning Disabilities Nurse and Principal Lecturer (Learning Disabilities) in the Faculty of Health and Wellbeing at Sheffield Hallam University, UK.