Photo Daily Mail
To read on My Life, My Choice website:
Note: In the UK, the term of ‘Learning disability’ is used instead of ‘Intellectual disability’.
How can we make people who have a learning disability less anxious about using the NHS?
As Tracey says, many people with learning disabilities tell us they get anxious about going to see a doctor or going to hospital.
But wait, doesn’t almost everyone get anxious about going to the doctor or to hospital? I certainly do.
As Dominic points out, this is yet another example where it turns out that people who have a learning disability are not that different from everybody else.
Here are some things that NHS staff can do…
- Try and understand what people are worried about by talking to them about it.
- Arrange tours of hospitals for people who are coming in for planned procedures, which give people an opportunity to meet the staff who are going to be looking after them.
- Follow the example of Newcastle Hospitals and produce YouTube videos about what having certain procedures involves.
- Explain what you’re going to do before you do it.
- Use someone’s Hospital Passport.
We asked some My Life My Choice members: “What would help you relax when visiting the doctor or hospital? What could the doctor or nurse do?”
Dawn says: “Talk to you calmly.”
Paul says: “Make eye contact and speak in a calm and simple way.”
Joan says: “Don’t pester people. Listen to them and let them speak in their own time.”
What do you think? Please leave a comment.