Mandatory learning disability and autism training for care staff to 'challenge unconscious bias'

Up to 2.8m social care and health staff will have to undertake mandatory learning disability and autism training, teaching them to 'challenge attitudes and unconscious bias', under new government proposals.

The Department for Health and Social Care has launched a consultation on the training which would become a legal requirement for all care and health professionals regularly coming into contact with people with learning disabilities and autism.

It is hoped the training will help to close the gap in life expectancy between those with a learning disability and those without. Currently, the life expectancy of women with a learning disability is 18 years lower than those without, with a 14-year gap for men.

Minister for Care, Caroline Dinenage said: “It’s simply unacceptable that the lives of autistic people or those with a learning disability are being cut short in part because of barriers in accessing healthcare that most of us take for granted.

“Our plans to introduce mandatory training for all relevant health and care staff will help them to ensure more people receive the safe, compassionate and informed care that they are entitled to.”

Ms Dinenage originally pledged to include autism in proposals for all health and social care staff to have mandatory learning disability training, during a Parliament debate triggered by a petition started by Paula McGowan, whose 18-year-old son Oliver died after a reaction to antipsychotic drugs.

Oliver McGowan

Oliver, who died at Southmead Hospital in Bristol in 2016, had a mild learning disability and high functioning autism. He died after being administered anti-psychotic medication, despite he and his family telling staff not to give him the drugs due to reactions in the past and having never been diagnosed with a mental health condition.

A scan found he had neuroleptic malignant syndrome, from a reaction to the antipsychotic drugs. He had surgery in an attempt to alleviate swelling in his brain but he continued to deteriorate and the family agreed to life support being withdrawn.

His mother Paula McGowan, said: “I believe his death could have been prevented if his doctors and nurses had received mandatory training. He had autism and a mild learning disability, and they weren't trained to understand how to make reasonable adjustments for him.”

Ms Dinenage said in the foreward to the consultation: "Paula's petition and tireless campaigning for mandatory learning disability and autism training for all health and care staff is a huge inspiration."

Jane Harris, director of external affairs at the National Autistic Society called the mandatory training proposal an “important commitment from the Minister” and said it has “the potential to improve the health and wellbeing of hundreds of thousands of autistic people”.

Under the proposals, all relevant staff, from receptionists to doctors or care workers could receive a level of training to provide:

• An understanding of learning disability and autism and the impact they have on someone's life, including challenging unconscious attitudes which can lead to a failure to spot key symptoms, and ensuring individuals, their carers or families are listened to.

• Knowledge of the fundamental rights of people with a learning disability or autistic people, and how these can be translated into action, for example the need to provide information in an accessible format and make sure people’s views and concerns are heard.

• Advice on how to make practical reasonable adjustments to improve how people with a learning disability and autistic people, of all ages, are supported.

People with learning disabilities and autism would be involved in the training

The proposals would see autistic people and those with a learning disability involved in the training, to help challenge attitudes and unconscious bias.

As part of an eight-week consultation on the training, the government is seeking the views of health and social care staff, employers, charities and people with a learning disability or on the autism spectrum, as well as their families and carers.

The government is exploring routes to make the training a legal requirement, and expect that it would become part of health and care workers’ education and training, either before qualification, or in the role if already qualified.

Dame Cheryl Gillan, MP said: “As chair of All-Party Parliamentary Group on Autism, I welcome this initiative as it is an ambition that all public facing staff will understand and be able to help people with a learning disability or, in particular, autism. I would encourage people to contribute to this excellent consultation.”

The idea for mandatory learning disability training came from recommendations from the second annual report from the Learning Disability Mortality Review (LeDeR) programme.

To view the consultation click here