Safety spotlight: Mothers with a learning disability

Summary

A learning disability is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects how individuals process information, often impacting skills such as reading, communication, and memory. While many people with learning disabilities have average or above-average intelligence, they may require tailored support to navigate healthcare effectively. Maternity care should be responsive to every woman’s needs. This Maternity and Newborn Safety Investigation (MNSI) safety spotlight focuses on mothers with a learning disability.

Content

Consider these safety prompts:

• How does your service record that a woman has a learning disability and how it affects her day-to-day care needs?
• What are the barriers to offering every woman with a learning disability the opportunity to complete a health and care passport?
• Could tools such as the health and care passport be used more routinely to capture communication preferences, concerns and support needs?
• How does your service ensure key information about learning needs and social complexities are consistently shared in discharge summaries?
• Have your staff been supported to undertake the government approved Oliver McGowan mandatory training on Learning Disability and Autism?