Category: practice development

Kent and Medway Learning Disability and Autism workforce events

/ dmarsden49 / Leave a comment

Canterbury Christ Church University will be hosting a series of learning disability and autism workforce events in 2024, aimed at:-

  • Care staff and professionals working directly with people with learning disabilities and/autistic people, from education, health and care services.
  • Education, Care and Health managers.
  • Police and community support workers
  • Anyone in Kent and Medway working with this diverse population

The first event will feature a presentation from CCCU MSc student and Makaton Trainer Katie Potts and her practice based research investigating how can Makaton be embedded into schools and their wider community.

To book a free place on this first event, please click here

SUPPORT NEEDED: VODG is calling on the #health and #socialcare workforce to share their views on how we can reduce the reliance on psychotropic medications

/ George Matuska / Leave a comment

The essential role of the health and care workforce in reducing reliance on psychotropic medications – ‘STOMP’ and ‘STAMP’

STOMP (Stopping Over Medication of People with a learning disability, autism or both) and STAMP (Supporting Treatment and Appropriate Medication in Paediatrics) are national projects, launched by NHS England and involving many different organisations, aiming to stop the overuse of psychotropic medicines. 

It is estimated that on an average day in England between 30,000 and 35,000 people with a learning disability, autism or both are taking prescribed psychotropic medication without appropriate clinical justification. 

This is a medication which results in alterations to perception, mood or consciousness. Long-term use of these medicines puts people at unnecessary risk of a wide range of side effects including weight gain, organ failure and even premature death.

We have launched a questionnaire to hear from colleagues across the health and care sector, including family carers, about your experiences of using STOMP and STAMP within your job roles and how awareness and understanding of STOMP and STAMP could be improved. 

Understanding the views of health and care professionals with experience in supporting people is essential to identifying opportunities and building solutions to prevent the overuse and inappropriate use of psychotropic medications.

The questionnaire is open now until Friday 16 December 2022.

This project is a collaboration between VODG, the National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTi), Learning Disability England (LDE) and Skills for Care and is funded by Health Education England. 

Find out more on our project page here: www.vodg.org.uk/resource/stomp-and-stamp-the-essential-role-of-the-health-and-care-workforce-in-reducing-the-reliance-on-psychotropic-medication.html   If you have questions about the survey or would prefer to talk through your views with a researcher, please email research.policy@vodg.org.uk

Learning Disability Workshop Conference

/ dmarsden49 / Leave a comment

During 2015 the Kent and Medway Learning Disability Community of Practice in partnership with East Kent Hospitals Clinical Education and three experts by experience have been running half day workshops for mainstream healthcare professionals.

The aims of the programme has been to explore definitions of learning disabilities, the evidence base and legal frameworks, with a view to encouraging participants to explore what ‘reasonable adjustments’ might mean in their work context. More details of these can be found here.

The outcome of this project is a conference to report back on the outcomes, and for individuals and teams to share how they make adjustments for people with learning disabilities. We are pleased to share the National Clinical Director for Learning Disabilities at NHS England Dominic Slowie will be opening the event.

The target audience for this event is non-learning disability professionals.

Please see the flyer below.

Workshop Conf flyer 2016

 

 

Reasonable Adjustments Conference Report & Presentations – 17th June 2015

/ George Matuska / 3 Comments

This year’s Conference was based on how we can all implement reasonable adjustments for people with learning disabilities in our work. The conference participants and the Community of Practice team found each of the presentations insightful, interesting and thought provoking. The audience participation and inclusion generated great debate and key questions for reflective thought.  Main focus with regards to barriers to ensuring services and people are well adjusted to meet the needs of these individuals.  There were lots of opportunities for networking which allowed all to address some key questions and barriers to ensure services and people are well adjusted to meet the needs of these individuals.   Delegates shared personal insights and experiences, while remembering that people with learning disabilities are no less human than anyone else.

All the presentations and and resources from the day are available on the conference page. Please click here

Professor Chris Hatton from The University of Lancaster was guest speaker and he opened the event with the provocative question – “are you well adjusted? “

The event was a great success in showcasing some of the excellent work and initiatives happening across Kent for people with learning disabilities particularly around access to health care and therapies.

Feedback received from the attendees from the day was very positive.   We would like to thank you all for your responses; which are invaluable to making next years Conference even more of a success.

Individuals who could not make the conference were able get involved via twitter using the #LDWeek15 and #ldcop15 hashtags. A full transcript of this conversation including photos are available by clicking here.

The day was held during Learning Disability Awareness Week “inclusion” and all participants wanted to mark this by having their support shared via the below photo being shared on Twitter.

#ldweek15 picture

For further details on the whole day click on the conference page by clicking here.

Tracey Rose

Community Learning Disability Nurse

Twitter @traceypockett