People with learning disabilities supported to improve health and wellbeing

Primary care staff have teamed up with community organisations to raise awareness of annual health checks for people with a learning disability.

The Penderi Local Cluster Collaborative (LCC) worked with Your Voice Advocacy, which provides support to people with learning disabilities across Swansea and Neath Port Talbot, to host a free wellbeing event.

The LCC, which covers the Brynhyfryd, Blaenymaes, Fforestfach, Gendros, Manselton, Penlan, Portmead, Ravenhill and Treboeth areas of Swansea, has previously hosted health and wellbeing events in the community.

Held at Cranes Pop Up Space, in Swansea city centre, the latest event aimed to help make people with learning disabilities aware of the different resources and organisations available to support them.

Pictured (l-r): Rhys Thomas, Swansea Council community engagement lead, Clare James, Swansea Bay’s Deputy Head of Nursing for Primary Care, Anna Tippett, Penderi LCC’s business development and implementation manager, Rebecca Morcom, practice nurse facilitator, and Bill Williams, Your Voice Advocacy project coordinator.

Dr Sowndarya Shivaraj, GP at Fforestfach Medical Centre and Penderi LCC lead, said: “We have linked with a range of local organisations who support people with learning disabilities and their families, such as Your Voice Advocacy and Community Lives.

“The cluster has committed to delivering regular health and wellbeing events. We thought it would be a great opportunity to work with these community groups to encourage people with learning disabilities to attend.

“Our events offer opportunities for social engagement, physical activity, and education on healthy living in an accessible and inclusive way.

“By creating a supportive environment, wellbeing events empower individuals with learning disabilities to take an active role in their health and happiness."

The event featured a number of activities throughout the day, including a healthy cookery demonstration, chair yoga and a choir performance.

Pictured: A cookery demonstration.

Neil Williams, a development worker at Your Voice Advocacy, added: “The event focused on learning disabilities, healthy eating and looking after ourselves.

“It is important to have events like this because a lot of people don’t know where to go for help and support.”

Anyone aged 14 and over who is on their doctor's learning disability register can have a free annual health check once a year.

The appointment helps to spot any health problems sooner and acts as an opportunity to talk about their overall health and wellbeing and how to stay healthy.

Bill Williams, Your Voice Advocacy project coordinator, said: “We attended to promote annual health checks for people with learning disabilities.

“A number of our volunteers who have learning disabilities enthusiastically took part in the activities and helped to make the event a success.

“What we are finding is that not enough people are taking up their annual health checks.

“If people aren’t attending the checks, it means they aren’t being encouraged to live a healthier lifestyle.”

Sowndarya added: “Penderi LCC has been working with the learning disabilities team from the health board to explore how we can increase uptake of the annual health checks for patients with learning disabilities in general practice.

“We know people with learning disabilities often experience poorer health outcomes and face significant barriers to accessing healthcare.

“Annual health checks play a crucial role in identifying and addressing health issues early, ensuring that individuals receive the support and treatment they need.

“These checks help to detect a range of health conditions as well as providing an opportunity to review medications, discuss lifestyle factors, and support carers in managing overall health and wellbeing.”

Pictured: Your Voice Advocacy staff attended the event.

A number of health board teams attended the event to offer information about a variety of services, including sexual health services, Help Me Quit and the dietetics service.

Nicola Morris, Penderi LCC’s lead pharmacist, said: “We want to make people aware of what is available to them in their local community pharmacy.

“Some pharmacies have independent prescribers who can give advice, make referrals and prescribe some medication to patients.

“Community pharmacies do inhaler reviews, offer contraception services and the Common Ailments Service which provides free treatment for a number of ailments.”

A large variety of community groups and organisations were also in attendance, including Bowel Cancer UK, Swansea Council for Voluntary Service and social prescribers.

Philip Williams, exercise referral specialist at Swansea Council, attended the wellbeing event to promote the National Exercise Referral Scheme.

He said: “We support anyone coming through from their GP with conditions such as high blood pressure, hypertension, obesity and so on.

“We are based in the community and run programmes that aim to help their conditions.

“We run gym-based programmes, water aerobics, Tai Chi classes – a variety of programmes based in leisure centres across Swansea.

“We get a lot of positive feedback from people that the programme helps with their conditions.”