Clinical

Effects of learning disability and autism training on healthcare professionals

Why you should read this article:

To acknowledge that healthcare professionals’ knowledge, attitudes and behaviour are factors in the health inequalities experienced by people with learning disabilities and autistic people

To enhance your awareness of how learning disability and autism education and training for healthcare professionals can influence their perspectives and practice

To recognise the need for further research into the effects of learning disability and autism education on nurses’ practice

 

It has been identified that healthcare professionals’ knowledge, attitudes and behaviour in practice are significant factors in the health inequalities experienced by people with learning disabilities and autistic people. Lack of awareness of the adjustments that may be required in communication and to support autonomous decision-making can lead to suboptimal treatment outcomes and avoidable deaths. This article presents a scoping review that aimed to examine the research on learning disability and autism education and training for healthcare professionals and how this may affect their perspectives and practice. The review highlighted the benefits of such education and training, finding that it could improve healthcare professionals’ knowledge, confidence and screening behaviours. The findings could aid future research and support the development of a contemporary evidence base that would inform learning disabilities and autism mandatory training for healthcare staff in England and Wales.

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