The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism is named after Oliver McGowan, whose tragic, avoidable death shone a light on the need for health and social care staff to receive better training.

In July 2022, the Health and Care Act set out a new requirement that CQC registered health and social care providers must ensure their entire workforce receive learning disability and autism training appropriate to their role.

Oliver’s Training is the government’s preferred and recommended programme. The NHS workforce working in the North East and North Cumbria can now access this training FULLY FUNDED for a LIMITED TIME only.

The North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board and Good Life Collaborative are working collaboratively to be able to deliver Oliver McGowan training to the NHS workforce in the North East and North Cumbria. The Good Life Collaborative are a collaboration of independent not-for-profit organisations with strong connections with local people and communities across the North East and Cumbria. Between us, our organisations support 125,000 people with a learning disability, autistic people and their families to stay healthy, connected and safe.

About Oliver’s Training

The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism aims to provide all health and social care staff with the right skills and knowledge to provide safe, compassionate, and informed care to autistic people and people with a learning disability.

Oliver’s Training is for the whole workforce, and is broken down into two tiers:

• Tier 1 is a 90-minute eLearning course, plus a 1-hour interactive online session with a trio of experts including lived experience trainers – a person with a learning disability, an autistic person, and a facilitator. This training is for staff who do not provide direct care, support or treatment to people with a learning disability and autistic people.
• Tier 2 is the same 90-minute eLearning course, plus a one day face-to-face training with a lead facilitator, an expert with a learning disability, and an autistic expert. This is for staff who do provide care and support for autistic people and with a learning disability.

You must complete both parts of either tier (depending on your role) to be fully compliant with the training. It will be a 3-year rolling programme.

How to complete Tier 1

Tier 1 of Oliver’s Training is now available to NHS staff working in the North East and North Cumbria. To be fully compliant with Tier 1 of Oliver’s Training, you must:

1. Complete the eLearning course, which may be available via your organisation’s learner management system (e.g. ESR). The eLearning course can also be completed on the Boost learning academy.
2. Once the eLearning course is completed, you can attend the Tier 1 interactive online session. A range of dates are available to view and book via the Boost learning academy.

How to complete Tier 2

To be fully compliant with Tier 1 of Oliver’s Training, you must:

1. Complete the eLearning course, which may be available via your organisation’s learning management system (e.g. ESR). The eLearning course can also be completed on the Boost learning academy.
2. Once the eLearning course is completed, you can attend the tier 2 full day face-to-face training. A range of dates are available to book on the Boost learning academy.

This training will be co-delivered by experts with lived experience of learning disability and autism from the Good Life Collaborative. The training will be engaging, interactive and informative with real life experiences from the trainers in the room.

A train-the-trainer programme for the North East and North Cumbria is also being developed, and will be made available later this year.

Organisations are asked to keep up-to-date records of staff who participate in any learning disability and autism awareness training.

This information will be very helpful as the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board continues to work on the future roll-out of this mandatory learning.

If you have any queries regarding learning disability and autism awareness mandatory training, Oliver’s Training, or making a booking, please contact: [email protected]

NHS NENC Workforce – BOOK YOUR FULLY FUNDED PLACE NOW FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY.

You can find out more about the national programme here: The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism | NHS England | Workforce, training and education

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