Historic Articles and Resources
These articles were published some years ago and should therefore be considered within their historical context.
Resources on COVID-19 for people with intellectual disabilities and their families and carers
Controversial Issues in Autism: The Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine
The number of children diagnosed with autism is rising. What is being done to find out the causes of autism? Is the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine responsible for the increased prevalence?
Assessing the Value of the Internet in Health Improvement
The internet provides easier access to health information than ever before, but is it enabling us to lead healthier lives?
Government Policy in England: Inclusion in Mainstream Healthcare, 2001 - 2006
The author reviews Valuing People's policy, the limited progress in taking the agenda forward between 2001 and 2006,outlining some key actions that should be taken to promote better health outcomes for people with intellectual disabilities.
Healthcare Decision-Making By Adults with Intellectual Disabilities: Some Levers To Changing Practice
A number of factors have been suggested to explain the poorer health status of people with intellectual disabilities, including ignorance of health needs associated with particular disabilities, and the inadequate provision of social and professional support mechanisms for people with intellectual disabilities and their families.
Legislation and Clinical Practice In Intellectual Disability
In almost all situations a competent adult's decision must be respected, and where a person lacks the capacity to make the necessary decisions it would not be unlawful to act, providing it is in his/her best interests. The exception is the treatment of a person's mental disorder.
Intellectual Disability Policy In England
Valuing People: A New Strategy for Learning Disability for the 21st Century. An extract from the White Paper published in 2000.
Social Care Services And The Social Perspective
There have been major improvements in values, skills and services, but also a marked decline in some areas, notably the management of the transition from childhood to adulthood.
User Involvement
It is no longer acceptable for organisations to view people with intellectual disabilities as passive recipients of services; they must be seen as active partners.
Down's Syndrome
Down's syndrome affects people of all ages, races, religious backgrounds and economic situations. It is estimated that there are around 60,000 people with Down's syndrome living in the UK, but since Down's syndrome has never been a notifiable condition, accurate figures are difficult to obtain.
Prenatal Testing and Informed Choice
Prenatal testing services should give women and their partners the information and support they need to make autonomous, informed decisions.
Facilitating Informed Choice in Prenatal Testing: How Well Are We Doing?
If we value women's ability to make informed choices about prenatal tests as highly as we value reliable laboratory tests, evidence-based quality standards need to be developed for the information and support women are given at all stages of the process of prenatal testing.
Behavioural Phenotypes in Adulthood
Behavioural phenotypes are syndromes with a chromosomal or genetic aetiology, comprising both physiological and behaviour manifestations, including a distinctive social, linguistic, cognitive and motor profile.
Classification and Assessment of Psychiatric Disorders in Adults with Intellectual Disabilities
There are several types of classifications and assessments that may be useful when working with people with intellectual disabilities.
Research Evidence on the Health of People with Intellectual Disabilities
Key Highlights of Research Evidence on the Health of People with Intellectual Disabilities
Psychological Treatments for People with Learning Disabilities
The term 'psychological' is used in this contribution to distinguish psychotherapeutic approaches to treatment for emotional and behavioural disturbance from those involving physical treatments, environmental manipulation or behaviour modification. In practice there is considerable overlap between, and concurrent use of, such interventions.
Consent and People With Intellectual Disabilities: The Basics (2006)
This guide,which is now located in the Historic Articles section of this website, covers the law in England prior to the 2005 Mental Capacity Act which came into force in 2007. Different rules apply in other countries.
Health Action Plans
Some Guidelines for General Practitioners and Primary Care Teams
St George’s Health Check Questionnaire
Training which includes the supervised completion of a healthcare questionnaire for people with an intellectual disability, as part of medical students' Primary Care course.
Passport to Health
A new passport scheme is helping improve the hospital experience for people with learning disabilities and their families. This is an outline of how it works.
Covid-19 vaccinations in Shropshire
Dr Ella Baines, GP at Marden Medical Practice in Shrewsbury and Named GP for Safeguarding Adults and Children, Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin CCG, describes how she and the local PCN Clinical Director provided Covid-19 vaccinations in many of the learning disability care homes across their PCN in one single day in January 2021. It is followed by an account of a mother and son’s experience since March 2020.
Covid-19 vaccinations in Yorkshire and Devon
Dr Marcus van Dam, GP in North Yorkshire, and Dr Rachel Gaywood, GP in Devon, describe how they have provided Covid-19 vaccinations and other support for people with intellectual disability.