Supporting people with a learning disability

People with a learning disability often face barriers to understanding, accessing, and navigating cancer services. Through collaboration with the North East and North Cumbria Learning Disability and Autism Network, we co-produce training, resources, and guidance to ensure care is inclusive and equitable.

Explore this page to find tools, information, and initiatives designed to help people with a learning disability receive the care and support they deserve.

Pathways and services

Understanding Faster Diagnosis Centres and Cancer Care Co-ordinators

• These easy read resources are to support people in understanding what a faster diagnostic service is and the role of the cancer care co-ordinator.
• The resources can be adapted by Trusts across the region to fit local services.
• What is a rapid diagnostic service
• Your Cancer Care Coordinator
• FDS times photo bank

Radiology General Anaesthetic pathway

• This reasonably adjusted care pathway is for people with learning disabilities who require general anaesthetic [GA] for diagnostic imaging.
• The pathway supports trusts to ensure they are able to comply with the Urgent cancer referral guidelines by providing an equitable service to people with learning disabilities and will also be useful for other vulnerable people who require a similar reasonable adjustment.
• Imaging under general anesthetics pathway and guidance

Easy read urgent cancer referrals patient information leaflets

Easy read versions of the Urgent Cancer Referral Patient Information leaflets can be found on the web link.

Urgent Suspected Cancer Patient Information Leaflets

Screening

Social care providers guidance and resource pack (updated February 2025)

• This resource contains information on best interest decisions and the mental capacity act.
• It includes a check list, action plan and resource guide.
• You can access it here 👉 Promoting access to screening for people with a Learning Disability

Cervical Screening for people with learning disability – Support Materials for Sample Takers

• A selection of localised resources for sample takers.
• You can access materials for your area here 👉Support Materials for Sample Takers

Bowel screening flagging for people with a learning disability

• This how to guide describes how to set up bowel screening flagging for people with a learning disability.
• It gives a clear process to follow and discusses challenges and limitations.
• This document includes the updated consent to share information advice.
• Take a look at the guide 👉Improving bowel cancer screening for people with a learning disability using flagging

Easy read resources

Macmillan easy read information booklets

• Macmillan have a large range of easy read booklets that cover lots of information about cancer.
• You can see all their booklets at 👉 Easy read cancer information Macmillan Cancer Support

The national screening programmes easy read materials

• Easy read material for the 4 national screening programmes can be found below:
• Breast
• Bowel
• Cervical
• Lung

Books Beyond Words

• Books Beyond Words have updated the easy guides for breast, cervical and bowel screening as well as having a colonoscopy.
• For free downloads go to 👉booksbeyondwords.co.uk

You can find more accessible resources in our Patient and Carers Section Accessible Resources

Working with people with a learning disability

Reasonable adjustments campaign

• Reasonable adjustments are the changes we make to practice to ensure people with a disability or long term condition that effects their day to day living can access services.
• Since 2010 and the Equality Act there has been a legal president to provide reasonable adjustments.
• The reasonable adjustments campaign is raising awareness across health and care staff and the public.
• Resources are available here 👉 Reasonable Adjustments

Reasonable adjustments digital flag

• The Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag is a locally and nationally available record which indicates the reasonable adjustments required for an individual to access health and care services.
• It is the enabler for services to comply with the Equality Act 2010 and mandated through the Information Standard Notice.
• More information can be found here👉Digital Flag and Reasonable Adjustment Flag

Health and Care passports

• Health and care passports help people with a learning disability to share the things that are important to them when accessing services.
• More information can be found here 👉 About Health and Care Passports
• A digital copy of the passport can be found here 👉 Health and Care Passport

Prevention of adult not brought strategy

• This strategy and resources are to support services in limiting the number of unattended appointments by individuals who need support to attend health and care.
• The strategy and supporting resources for primary and secondary care can be found here 👉 Prevention of Adult Not Brought Strategy

All behaviour happens for a reason

• This campaign builds upon the reasonable adjustments work and positive behavioural support work stream.
• All behaviour happens for a reason. Instead of trying to stop it, try to understand the message that is behind it.
• Find resources at👉All Behaviour Happens for a Reason