Supporting Patients with Learning Disabilities: A Lasting Legacy
Before the Learning Disability Team transferred from Norfolk Community Health & Care to Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, they made sure to take a meaningful legacy from charitable funds for the patients they support.
Using the final balance of charitable funds dedicated to their service, the team carefully selected equipment and resources that will continue to make a lasting difference to people with learning disabilities. These items were chosen to promote independence, improve access to therapy, and ensure patients are fully included in decisions about their health and wellbeing.
The new equipment includes:
- Homecraft Kitchen Workstation - helping patients develop independence with cooking and try before they buy the aids that suit them best.
- Yoga Mats - enabling physio and assessment sessions to take place in any setting, not just clinical environments.
- Speech and Language Games - supporting patients with a range of communication needs to engage with therapy in fun, meaningful ways.
- Arts & Crafts Materials - providing creative ways to explore sensitive topics such as Advance Care Planning, ensuring equal opportunities for patients with learning disabilities to make their voices heard.
- Talking Mats Health & Wellbeing Pack - using visual symbols to support patients in expressing their thoughts and making informed decisions about their care.
These resources will allow clinicians to broaden the care they offer, giving patients more opportunities to participate in daily activities, treatment, and conversations that directly affect their lives.
Laura Palmer, Health Team Manager at the City Community Learning Disability Team, shared her gratitude: " A big thank you from the LD service for the array of items to support our patients and aid in their assessments and treatments with our MDT. It is really appreciated."
This thoughtful use of charitable funds demonstrates the team's commitment to inclusion, independence, and high-quality, person-centred care-values that will continue to benefit patients long after their move.