Our GP practices are now home to Learning Disability Care Coordinators who work with patients with learning difficulties and their families to ensure they have the access they need to local services.
The role of a Learning Disability Care Coordinator is to support and improve the health and wellbeing of those patients with a learning disability. They work with patients to create an action plan which will outline their health goals for the next year.
Sandie Jones a Learning Disability Care Coordinator at a GP practice in Hampshire said: “I have been working as a Learning Disability Care Coordinator for the last two years and I really enjoy working with our patients to ensure that they get the best out of the local services that are available to them.
“We know that people with learning disabilities often experience poorer health outcomes and face significant barriers to accessing health care. The annual health checks we do are so important in identifying and addressing health concerns early and can ensure that the patients receive the support and treatment that they need.”
As part of the NHS 10-year health plan, there is a drive to ensure that patients have access to care within their communities. Local people across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are now able to book more appointments with different healthcare professionals at GP practices, meaning they can be seen quicker and cared for in the best possible way.
In March 2025, NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight launched the ‘It Takes a Team’ public information campaign to highlight the different specialists working within GP practices. The 12-month campaign will throw a spotlight on a different specialist role each month and will feature people working within those roles in our local practices. This month we are focussing on our Learning Disability Care Coordinators.
James Roach, Director of Primary Care and Local Care at NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight said: “The role of Learning Disability Care Coordinator is such an important role supporting those in our communities who have previously struggled to access the care and the services that the need.
"Our Learning Disability Care Coordinators are now an integral part of our GP practices and part of our local NHS 10-year health plan to support more care in the community. Our Learning Disability Care Coordinators are a central point of contact for patients, their families and their carers and ensure that we provide the right access at the right time for our patients.”
Learning Disability Care coordinators are also responsible for:
- Working closely with GPs and other primary care professionals to identify and manage patients with learning difficulties
- Work with patients and their families/carers to prepare for annual health checks and ensure that any actions are put into place
- Help connect patients with local services ensuring that reasonable adjustments are made
- Develop and maintain key relationships with organisations and people with lived experience.
If you feel that you or someone you know would benefit from speaking to a Learning Disability Care Coordinator, please contact your GP.
Further information about the campaign and the specialist roles working in our local practices can be found here: It Takes A Team