Primary health care provision for people with learning disabilities: a survey of general practitioners

Abstract

The delivery of primary health care to people with learning disabilities living in the community has come under increasing scrutiny. Concerns have been raised over both the current quality of this care and its future organization. A postal questionnaire was sent to 153 general practitioners (GPs) to elicit their views and opinions concerning the delivery of primary health care to people with learning disabilities; the response rate was 57% (88 responses). The majority of respondents appeared to have no idea of the number of patients they had with learning disabilities. There was no consensus as to the workload generated by this population group. Most GPs claimed to undertake health promotion activities for their patients with learning disabilities. Many GPs' knowledge of health needs affecting people with learning disabilities appeared inadequate, and this was reflected in their degree of confidence in meeting medical needs. Many GPs felt that the lead responsibility for dealing with the general medical needs of people with learning disabilities did not belong with them. These findings support difficulties identified elsewhere in the literature: less frequent surgery attendance of people with learning disabilities, people with learning disabilities do not mention their symptoms to carers/GPs, lack of interest/knowledge of GPs, and a difficulty for GPs in reaching a diagnosis. There was a broad acknowledgement of a problem within primary care, but little consensus as to a solution.