Learning Disabilities

What is  a Learning Disability?
A learning disability is a reduced intellectual ability and people with learning disabilities need additional help to develop new skills, understand complex information or relate to other people.

Here at the surgery we’re trying to increase awareness of learning disability and the difficulties people with a condition that effects their cognitive ability face in carrying out day to day activities.

In order to support people with learning disabilities it is important that we are aware that they:

  • may not cope with well being in a waiting room full of strangers and may feel more comfortable in our quiet waiting area.
  • may struggle with the waiting to go in for their appointment and might need a little more patience or understanding if their behaviour is louder than we would hope
  • may suffer from ‘tactile defensiveness’ and need extra notice or understanding if they struggle with being touched or examined
  • may be ‘visual thinkers’ and need a diagram or picture to help explain what will happen and when.

We would encourage everyone to think about what they could do to help support people with learning disabilities. There’s lots of great information available on line on this subject so take a look. A good starting point would be Mencap – Learning Disability Explained but there are lots of other places you can get information about specific conditions or advice about how to help.