Enhancing clinical practice: reducing health inequalities – reflections on a clinical education and training partnership

Pages342-348
Date07 November 2016
Published date07 November 2016
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/AMHID-10-2016-0029
AuthorKarina Marshall-Tate
Subject MatterHealth & social care,Learning & intellectual disabilities
Enhancing clinical practice: reducing
health inequalities reflections on a
clinical education and training partnership
Karina Marshall-Tate
Karina Marshall-Tate is a
Learning Disability Nurse and
Project Lead at the South
London and Maudsley NHS
Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to outline a two-year project designed to reduce health inequalities
and improve health outcomes of people with intellectual disabilities using health services in South London by
raising awareness and increasing health staff confidence and capability.
Design/methodology/approach Theproject was conducted intwo stages. In stage 1, a mappingexercise
was undertaken to establish existing intellectual disabilities education and training availability. In stage 2, a
network of stakeholders was formed andeducation and training materials weredeveloped and delivered.
Findings A formal evaluation of the project is underway and this paper seeks to share information about
the project. That said prima facie data appear to indicate that health staff who attended education and
training events learned new knowledge and skills that they could implement in their practice, increasing
confidence and capability.
Research limitations/implications Health staff who attended the events appeared to have an interest in
intellectual disabilities and wanted to increase their knowledge and skills base. This means that there is a
significant group of health staff that the project was unable to reach or who may not know that they need to
know about intellectual disabilities. The results of the project have not yet been formally analysed.
Practical implications Work-based education and training events can have a positive impact on health
staff capability and confidence, however, it would appear that only those who already have an interest in the
field or recognise its value to their own practice attend such events. To truly capture all health staff intellectual
disabilities needs to be visibly included in all health curricula.
Originality/value This project has not focussed on one profession or one aspect of healthcare and has
embraced the values of inter professional and inter agency learning; this has enabled health staff to learn from
each other and think in a joined upway replicating the realities of providing healthcare to people with
intellectual disabilities.
Keywords Mental health, Capability, Physical health, Confidence, Health inequalities,
Education and training
Paper type Case study
Making improvements in how effective care and treatment of people with intellectual disabilities is
provided should be a key priority area for clinical settings and in higher education institutions. It is
estimated that 1,200 people with intellectual disabilities die avoidably whilst in NHS care in England
every year (Glover and Emerson, 2013) and that for every one person in the general population who
dies an avoidable premature death in the NHS, three people with intellectual disabilities will die (Heslop
et al., 2013). People with intellectual disabilities can experience higher rates of multi-morbidities
throughout the lifespan, including both physical and mental illnesses (Cooper et al., 2015). Long-term
conditions such as cardiovascular disease or diabetes are linked to mental illnesses such as
depression, anxiety and schizophrenia. They are also associated with reduced life expectancy
demonstrating how important it is to understand how the mind and body affects wellbeing.
Received 18 October 2016
Revised 18 October 2016
Accepted 20 October 2016
Funding: this was a two year
Project that was funded by Health
Education South London and
Kings Health Partners.
The author would like to thank
the local learning disability
services, the Estia Centre, family
carers and service users,
Maudsley Simulation, the Baked
Bean Theatre Company and
Kings Health PartnersEducation
Academy for their contributions
and support to the Project.
PAGE342
j
ADVANCESIN MENTAL HEALTH AND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES
j
VOL. 10 NO. 6 2016, pp.342-348, © Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 2044-1282 DOI 10.1108/AMHID-10-2016-0029

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