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Abstract

From 1997 to 2001 inclusive, annual health checks were offered to patients on the learning disabilities register of a general practice with a total of 14,410 patients. An average of 56 patients were invited each year and the attendance rate was 77.5 percent. The structured health check was administered by the community learning disability team (CLDT) nurse and general practitioner (GP) working together. The intervention rate was 1.56 per patient per year. This included referrals within the CLDT and to other professionals. Over half of all interventions (0.84 per patient per annum) were actioned within primary care. These included lifestyle advice leading to monitoring of obesity; ear and eye checks leading to referral or treatment; review of associated locomotor, hormone, skin, digestive system and CNS conditions resulting in medication changes; and blood tests. The health check highlighted continuing treatable conditions which otherwise might not have received attention.

Keywords

community learning disability nurse general practitioner health interventions learning disabilities

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References

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Annual Health Reviews for Patients with Severe Learning Disabilities

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