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<p>Under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014
there is a statutory responsibility on providers of health services to provide sufficient
numbers of appropriately qualified, competent, skilled and experienced staff to meet
the needs of the people using health services, including those with a learning disability.</p><p>
</p><p>The Learning Disability Core Skills Education and Training Framework, published
in July 2016 sets out the requisite skills and competencies that staff need to deliver
care and support to people with a learning disability. The Framework sets out the
necessary skills across three tiers. Tier 1, knowledge for roles that require general
awareness of learning disabilities; Tier 2, knowledge and skills for roles that will
have some regular contact with people with a learning disability and Tier 3, knowledge
and skills for those providing care and support for people with a learning disability.
Training should be provided in line with this Framework.</p><p> </p><p>Health Education
England (HEE) is currently producing eLearning materials to support Tier 1 learning
disability awareness training. This free online training will be available to all
staff in 2019. HEE also uses a workforce development fund to support the ongoing development
of staff, with spending focused on priority areas, including staff working with people
with learning disabilities and or autism.</p><p> </p><p>All nurses receive learning
disabilities training as part of their pre-registration education. Curricula are set
by individual education providers, to standards set by the professional regulators.
Since April 2015, newly appointed health care assistants, including those who will
provide care and support to people with learning disability have been undergoing training
as part of the national implementation of the Care Certificate. The Care Certificate
equips new staff with the knowledge and skills which they need to provide safe, compassionate
care across a range of areas, including the care of people with a learning disability.
Medical education and training includes developing understanding of, and competency
in, supporting people with a learning disability, as required in the curricula for
medical training approved by the General Medical Council.</p><p> </p><p>In the Government’s
response to the learning disabilities mortality review programme report, which we
published on 12 September 2018, the Department and its partner organisations committed
to a series of actions to increase uptake of learning disability training, including
a commitment to consult on mandatory learning disability training for health and care
staff, which will conclude by the end of March 2019. The Department is in the process
of developing the consultation proposals, and are working with key stakeholders, including
people with learning disabilities and autism and the groups that represent them, to
shape the consultation proposals, including on how training would be delivered, and
to identify the key questions to ask.</p>
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