A new campaign called ‘Learning Disability Made Clear’ launched across the West Midlands during January 2015.

The campaign aims to increase knowledge and awareness of the issues affecting people with a learning disability. New dynamic resources have been developed for hospital staff and new toolkits will be distributed across University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB) over the coming weeks.

The toolkit includes communication flash cards, leaflets about understanding autism and dementia, and short films which show a hospital visit from the perspective of a person with a learning disability.

The Trust’s Dignity in Care team are leading the campaign at UHB and organised an awareness stand in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (QEHB) atrium. They used the opportunity to demonstrate the new toolkit and answered questions from staff, patients, volunteers and visitors.

Margaret Harries, Lead Nurses for Older Adults, said: “It’s vital that we communicate effectively with all our patients. We are caring for an increased number of patients with complex needs so it’s more important than ever to understand the person and open up all channels of communication. The toolkit is designed for patients with a learning disability but it’s also hugely beneficial for patients whose first language isn’t English and for patients with dementia.”

The atrium event was also attended by Lisa Proctor from the West Midlands Mental Health Institute, who is leading the ‘Learning Disability Made Clear’ campaign. Lisa has been taking the toolkit out to hospitals across the region and meeting staff who will be putting it into practice.

Lisa added, “It’s great to talk to staff face-to-face and show them how the toolkit works and how it will benefit patients. We’ve had lots of interest from staff, volunteers, patients and visitors which is really encouraging.”

The Trust has a number of ongoing projects which support patients with learning disabilities. In the Emergency Department, Senior Sister June Sargeant has developed various strategies to improve communication with deafblind patients. June, who attended the launch, said: “We have developed a close partnership with the deafblind charity SENSE and developed a fast track pathway utilising tier expertise, produced an educational programme and arranged communication and tactile object boxes. Our training programme focused on staff putting themselves in the deafblind patients’ shoes. They also receive training on hand signing and using touch to communicate.”

For more information about the ‘Learning Disabilities Made Clear’ campaign, please visit the ‘Learning Disability Made Clear’ campaign website.

The campaign has been funded by West Midlands Mental Health Institute and is being hosted by Black Country Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.