Appendix 39 - Health checklists for people with learning disability

Health checklists for people with learning disability and letters from DSA for members to use

Health checks for people with learning disabilities toolkit:

https://www.rcgp.org.uk/clinical-and-research/resources/toolkits/health-check-toolkit.aspx

People with learning disabilities (LD) have poorer physical and mental health than other people and die younger. Many of these deaths are avoidable and not inevitable. Annual Health Checks can identify undetected health conditions early, ensure the appropriateness of ongoing treatments and establish trust and continuity care. GPs and practice nurses have the much needed generalist skills to help people with LD get timely access to increasing complex health systems. 

Resources Managing the care of adults with Down Syndrome, Clinical Review, BMJ 2014: http://www.bmj.com/content/349/bmj.g5596  

‘How to’ section of the ‘Understanding Intellectual Disability & Health’ website http://www.intellectualdisability.info 

General Medical Council (GMC) – Learning Disabilities:  http://www.gmc-uk.org/learningdisabilities

This guide and checklist from the DSA:  Down Syndrome Specific Checklist

https://www.downs-syndrome.org.uk/about-downs-syndrome/health-and-wellbeing/#AnnualHealthChecks

Letters from DSA for members to use – Note: these letters that are now removed from the DSA website but are useful documents that can be adapted for you to use.  

For example:  Letter for DSA member: 14years +

Dear DSA Member, 

We are writing to you to tell you that you can now ask your GP for a free health check every year.  Anyone over the age of 14 years old with a learning disability can have a free health check.   

After you have asked your GP for a health check they will send you some questions to answer about your health. Your family can help you answer these questions. 

When you have your health check you will see the nurse who works with your GP for about half an hour. You will see your GP for about half an hour as well. This may happen on the same day or different days. 

On the Down’s Syndrome Association website has a lot of information about health and questions you can ask to help you and your GP look at all the things that need to be looked at to make sure you stay healthy.   

Try to keep everything together in a Health Book or folder and take this with you every time you go to see your GP, especially when you have an Annual Health Check.  

Don’t forget to take a look at the information about health on our website: 

https://www.downs-syndrome.org.uk/about-downs-syndrome/health-and-wellbeing/

Yours faithfully 

Letter for your GP: Covering letter 14years to 17years+

Dear GP, 

The Down’s Syndrome Association has produced a booklet https://www.downs-syndrome.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Annual-Health-Check-2022.pdf for your patient with Down Syndrome.   The primary purpose of the booklet is to increase the number of people with Down Syndrome (from 14 years upwards) accessing annual health checks and to provide GPs with information they may find helpful.  It may also be used at routine appointments to support effective communication between you and your patient with Down Syndrome. 

If your patient has come to you for an annual health check, please take a look at the section on health and well-being on the Down’s Syndrome Association website.  https://www.downs-syndrome.org.uk/about-downs-syndrome/health-and-wellbeing/  The webpage contains up to date information about health conditions that are more common in people with Down Syndrome.  We hope that you will find the site useful.    

Your patient may have a health folder, which hopefully contains the downloaded booklet and other health documents, which they should try to bring for their annual health check and other routine appointments.  This is hopefully something that can help both parties during the consultation for ease of reference.

We hope the online booklet https://www.downs-syndrome.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Annual-Health-Check-2022.pdf continues to be a useful tool to ensure that the health needs of people with Down Syndrome are met. Please send any comments/questions about the booklet or health issues in people with Down Syndrome to info@downs-syndrome.org.uk

Thank you for your support, it is very much appreciated. 

Yours faithfully