Learning Disability and Autism

We recognise that those living with a learning disability and autistic people are more likely to encounter difficulties in their day-to-day lives. This is due to increased risk of physical and mental health problems and many other factors, where their needs are either not recognised or not met.

The Learning Disabilities Mortality Review Programme (LeDeR 2020) reports on the preventable inequalities in health experienced by people with a learning disability. More adults and children with learning disabilities die from avoidable medical causes of death than people in the general population.

From 2018 to 2019, men with learning disabilities had an average age of death that was 23 years sooner than men in the general population and women had an average of 27 years sooner.

It is recognised that improving training and developing the workforce of health and care professionals will help to ensure people with a learning disability are supported to live longer, healthier lives.

Using these findings, we are committed to addressing the workforce development needs of healthcare professionals working with people living with learning disabilities and autism to help address these inequalities and improve the care and support provided to people with a learning disability.

We are developing a number of programmes that will help to reduce the health inequalities faced by people with a learning disability and autistic people, which can be found on our website.  

Advancing Practice in Learning Disability and Autism

Based on the Building the Right Support action plan commitments we are ensuring funding will be available to support the following developments: