Information for people with a learning disability

Information for people with a learning disability and/or their carers when visiting the hospital:

The learning disabilities liaison service is here to support patients and/or their carers when accessing the hospital. Gracie Holt leads the Learning Disability Liaison Service at Kingston Hospital.

The service helps ensure that people with a learning disability get the care they need when they need it.

We can help in the following ways:

• We can create or provide easy read information to help you understand your treatment or what is going to happen
• We can work with staff and give advice and support to the acute staff to meet the needs of people with a learning disability
• We can help to organise reasonable adjustments, like a longer appointment time or a quieter waiting room
• We can help patients and/or their carers prepare for a hospital visit
• We can help organise and attend appointments, or best interest meetings.

You can contact the Learning Disability Liaison Service Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm on the below contact details:

Telephone: 0208 934 6895 or Ext. 6895
Email: khft.learningdisabilityteam@nhs.net

Autism Spectrum Disorder

If you do not have a learning disability but have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and would like to notify the team of your reasonable adjustments, we can make sure these are recorded and shared with the relevant departments for you. Please get in touch on the same details.

What you need to know about coming into hospital:

Hospital Passports

Patients with a learning disability and/or their carers should ensure they bring with them their Hospital Passport (this is sometimes known as a Healthcare Passport).

If you don’t have one, please fill one in before you come to hospital. If you come to the emergency department and don’t have one, we can help fill one in with you.

You can download the blank hospital passport below:

Hospital Passport Download

Reasonable adjustments

It is really important that we know what reasonable adjustments you and/or the person you care for need.

You can contact us to tell us what reasonable adjustments are needed and we can work with the department to ensure these are planned and prepared before your visit to hospital.

It is best to get in touch as soon as you can when you know you have an appointment.

Giving feedback:

We want to hear about your experiences coming to Kingston Hospital. If you are a person with a learning disability and/or Autism Spectrum Disorder then please get in touch to give any feedback.