Health Improvement
Strategy for People with a
Learning Disability
Julie Burza
Health Improvement Officer
NHS Fife
Why Have the Strategy?



There isn’t one in Fife!
Response to the findings of the 2009 NHS
Quality Improvement Scotland Review
Funding for the strategy was made
available by the Scottish Government
through the Equally Well Learning
Disability Change Fund programme 20092011.
NHS Fife Population

Fife, 361,890
people ( 2008)

2% of the Scottish
population have a
learning disability

6000 - 7000
adults with a
learning disability in
Fife
Key Aims Strategy

Identify the health needs of adults with
learning disabilities in Fife

Identify gaps in current service provision

Compile an action plan to address the
significant health inequalities which can be
experienced by this group of service users
The Process

Identify key partners

Literature review
Focus groups


Consultation process
Service Review
Consultation events
On line questionnaire
Health Needs
Quiz
1.
What is the leading cause of death for
people with learning disabilities?
a)
b)
c)
Cancer
Respiratory Disease
Cardiovascular Disease
Health Needs
Quiz
2.
What Lifestyle/Public Health Issues are
issues for people with learning
disabilities?
a)
b)
c)
d)
Obesity & Poor Diet
Alcohol
Smoking
Lack of exercise
Health Needs
Quiz
3.
What system in the body has the highest
cancer trend for people with learning
disabilities?
a)
b)
c)
Cancer
Respiratory Disease
Cardiovascular Disease
Health Needs
(Literature)

People with a learning disability have greater
health needs but often these are unmet and
unrecognised

Poorer uptake of universal screening and
health promotion activities :

Less than 25% have had a cervical smear &
smoking cessation, Keep Well, immunisation
programmes have lower uptake

Risks to health have increased - exposure to
social and environmental risk factors poverty, social isolation, low educational
attainment
Consultation process
Focus groups
Consultation events
On line questionnaire
Analysis
Key Issues Identified

Relationships/friends
– limited social relationships including
sexual relationships

Health Needs
– lower cancer screening / prevention
uptake, sensory impairment, obesity,
osteoporosis,

Access to health care
providers/premises
- physical barriers and communication
Key Issues Identified

Educational needs & Employment –
Gaps were identified in education,
employment and social and leisure
opportunities for the client group.

Carers – Often felt excluded and lacked

Transitions - Further opportunities and
information & support on key issues
coordinated approach is required.
Key Issues Identified

Transportation – for educational and
social opportunities

Communication – around services &
treatments predominantly from statutory
agencies

Training – No universal core staff training
for those staff not seen as specialist - also
profile & priority of this training
Outcomes

A Health Improvement Strategy has been
created:
Identifies the health needs of adults
with learning disabilities in Fife
 Gaps in service provision
 15 Recommendations and a draft action
plan

Strategy’s Key Strength

This strategy is needs-assessment-based i.e.:
takes account of the views of people with a
learning disability and their carers;
 incorporates views of service providers
 reflects what the research evidence tells us is
effective in promoting the health of people
with a learning disability;
 draws on similar strategies produced by other
NHS boards.

Ambition and Challenge

This strategy is rightly ambitious in its
scope.

BUT

The challenge is to make the best use of
the resources available
“Very good event- felt
my opinion mattersgood opportunity to
hear other views as
well.”
“I enjoyed talking about
doctors, dentists and
services” service user
Service Users Comments
Carer Feedback
“ As a carer and a person involved in the
Learning Disability Service I have found
this very useful. Clearly there is a lot of
work to do but care must be taken that
the work is not done in isolation” Carer
Feedback
Susan Manion, General
Manager introducing the
Health Improvement
Strategy
to delegates.
What Now?

A multi- agency implementation group
formed to take forward the
recommendations from the strategy

A copy of the strategy and updates on
work streams can be obtained from
http://www.dwfchp.scot.nhs.uk/content.asp?Articl
eCode=2847&par=215
Further Information & Copies
of the Strategy

Improving Health Team, Dunfermline
and West Fife Community Health
Partnership, NHS Fife on 01383
565497.

julieburza@nhs.net