Publication Date:04 Oct 2010
Publication Type:Systematic Review
Next Review Date:13 Oct 2011
People with learning disabilities have poorer physical and mental health than other people. This is not inevitable. These are health inequalities that can, to a significant extent, be avoided.
One reason for the poorer health of people with learning disabilities is that they often have difficulty in recognising illness, communicating their needs and using primary health care services.
Primary health services have a legal responsibility to take account of the special needs of people with learning disabilities and reduce the health inequalities they face. One practical step GP practices in England can take to better support people with learning disabilities is to offer them annual health checks. Since 2009, GPs have received extra money for providing these health checks.
