Community Learning Disability Service

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Herefordshire & Worcestershire Community Learning Disability Service

About Us

The Community Learning Disabilities Service specialises in assessing and treating people with learning disabilities.

We are committed to promoting wellbeing and supporting service users, families and their carers. To ensure that each service user receives the care, treatment that is best suited to them.

We support a range of individuals with learning disabilities who may also have:

Autism
Dementia
Epilepsy
Mental health diagnosis
Behavioural difficulties

Meet the team


	Community Learning Disability Nurses and Healthcare Support Workers We assess and plan to support people with learning disabilities to understand how they can lead a healthy life, we can help to support decision making about health, work with carers and families to promote an individual’s health and well-being and support with physical and mental health issues to ensure the individual is receiving the relevant services and support required. We support people to access mainstream services by recommending and making reasonable adjustments to help people with a learning disability receive a equitable service.
	Advanced Clinical Practitioner Nurse (ACP) The Advanced Clinical Practitioner (ACP), practices with autonomy and expertise across the four pillars of advanced practice within the Learning Disability Service. This includes Clinical Practice, Leadership, Education and Research. As defined by Health Education England (2017), ‘Advanced clinical practice embodies the ability to manage clinical care in partnership with individuals, families and carers. It includes the analysis and synthesis of complex problems across a range of settings, enabling innovative solutions to enhance people’s experience and improve outcomes’.
	Psychological interventions Team (PI)- Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Behavioural Specialist Nurses Psychological interventions are made up of clinical psychologists and assistant psychologists/ practitioners (Herefordshire and Worcestershire), as well as behaviour nurses/ specialists (Worcestershire only). We strive to offer evidence-based practice, with a strong focus on person centred working. This includes offering: Direct psychological one-to-one psychological therapy Consultancy to services and other professionals Service user focussed staff support/training. Care planning MDT meetings and other service meetings as appropriate Working with family and carers Writing and reviewing PBS Plans Brief systemic work (Worcestershire only) Co-creating strategies for coping after therapy. We are flexible in how we deliver this support and adapt our communication methods to best suit the service user.
	Occupational Therapists We are Occupational Therapists working as part of the Community Learning Disability Teams, Occupational Therapists work with individuals to develop an all-round understanding of their skills and abilities to perform daily occupations. Occupations are the daily tasks that people with Learning Disabilities need or want to complete. These can include personal care task, meal preparation or leisure activities, that are meaningful to them. We help people with Learning Disabilities achieve their goals and live their lives how they wish. We offer assessment, advice and support for adults with Learning Disabilities and their families or carers in a number of areas which include: Engagement in Meaningful Occupations Sensory Processing, Skill building Dementia support Mealtime posture and functional skills Reducing risk and restriction. Sometimes we may signpost or refer to other services which may be more suited to meeting needs.
	Physiotherapist Learning Disability Physiotherapists provide a comprehensive range of specialist assessments and interventions in order to manage the impact of complex physical health needs for people from transition to older adults. Core Areas of work include the following: 24-hour postural management Falls prevention and mobility Multidisciplinary management of spasticity and hypertonia Multidisciplinary management of dysphagia Management of musculoskeletal problems Rehabilitation Transition of young people (from paediatric to adult services and college to community) Preventative respiratory management Most people with a learning disability will be able to access mainstream physiotherapy services with reasonable adjustments. Where reasonable adjustments go beyond what is reasonable and possible for mainstream services, Learning Disability Physiotherapists are able to provide support or make the adjustments required to provide access to physiotherapy to adults with a learning disability.
	Speech and Language Therapists We are Speech and Language Therapists working as part of the Community Learning Disability Teams.We are committed to providing person centred assessment, advice and support to people with Learning Disabilities (LD) and their family/ carers. We offer assessment, advice and support for adults with LD and their families/carers in a number of areas including: Speech, language and communication Social skills Eating and drinking Staff/ carer training Easy Read information Sometimes we may signpost or refer you to another service which may be more suited to meeting your needs.
	Intensive Support Team The Intensive Support Team (IST) is a specialist adult service for people with a formal diagnosis of Learning Disability and/or Autism. The team consists of registered Learning Disability and Mental Health nurses, an Assistant Practitioner, and a Healthcare Support Worker. The IST work with individuals who are on the Dynamic Support Register which is managed by the Complex Needs Team and is a risk register to monitor and review people identified at highest risk of admission to specialist in patient services. The IST will provide a time-limited service during a crisis situation to those identified as being at highest risk of admission, providing individually tailored, person-centred reviews and assessments that aim to mitigate risk and stabilise any presentation that carries a risk of harm to self or others and the environment and avoid in-patient admission. The IST will provide a formulation that aims to support the implementation of Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) plans, risk management and relapse plans. These will support the individual families, and providers with recommendations to mitigate multiple risk factors that place the person at risk of admission.

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Where do we work?

We provide assessment and treatment to people in their choice of environment, whether that be in their own home or an alternative community setting such as a local clinic, school, college, day service, supported living, residential setting or care home.

where do we work

How to make a referral

To refer for support from the Community Learning Disability Team, please complete the referral form and return to the relevant team.

To refer to the Herefordshire Community Learning Disability Team:

Please complete the referral form
Return to the email address provided at the top of the form.
If you would prefer to speak with the team you can call on 01432 222090

To refer to the North Worcestershire Community Learning Disability Team:

Please complete the referral form
Return to the email address provided at the bottom of the form.
If you would prefer to speak with the team you can call on 01527 488555

To refer to the South Worcestershire Community Learning Disability Team:

Please complete the referral form
Return to the email address provided at the bottom of the form.
If you would prefer to speak with the team you can call on 01905 520555

Who can be referred:

Referrals are accepted for adults with a confirmed diagnosis of Learning Disability.

who are registered with a Worcestershire or Herefordshire GP
who are 17 ½ years and over
who has an identified health need that cannot be met within mainstream physical and mental health services
who has an identified health need that requires support from a specialist learning disability service in order to be met within mainstream physical and mental health services

Who can we help

Who can make a referral:

A person with a learning disability
Anyone else with the permission of the person with a learning disability e.g a family member, carer, friend
An advocate
Any member of the community LD team
Other professionals following a best interest decision. E.g GP, Social Worker

Who can make a referral