Tips for successful remote consultations with patients with additional needs

To make consultations with patients who have additional needs, such as learning disabilities, as successful as possible, it can be helpful to:

• allow more time for them
• check regularly that the patient is finding the consultation helpful
• consider whether other forms of communication would be more suitable
• augment the consultation with written material and follow up via email
• have family members or carers present
• apply a lower threshold for a comfort follow-up call the next day than you would normally.

Cancer screening

Barnet Mencap has co-produced a cancer screening guide with family carers and support workers across NCL to help support people with learning disabilities to access care.

The guide, which was funded by NCL Cancer Alliance, covers a range of topics, including:

• reasonable adjustments that can be requested for people with learning disabilities
• easy-read resources and short films that detail what happens during a cancer screening
• where to attend a screening and how to book an appointment.