Women’s Health

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Learning Disability and Autism Network legacy...

Supporting women with a learning disability to understand menopause and pregnancy, and to access the right care through clear, easy read information and practical support.

Learning Disability Menopause Diamond Standards

This work was about improving access to assessment, support and treatment for the perimenopause and menopause in women with a learning disability.

An easy read Learning Disability Menopause Passport has been co-developed with a day service in Teesside and Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS FT. This is about:

Sharing accessible information to understand what the menopause and perimenopause is
Helping women with a learning disability and their families / carers to understand signs and symptom
Helping women to understand how to stay well
Who can I talk too for information, support and treatment?
What might be my treatment options?
Reasonable adjustments
Empowering women to have the conversation about the menopause

The passport can be used by health and care professionals, women with a learning disability and family carers.

It can be downloaded and completed online and then shared or it can be printed and completed.

Menopause Health and Care Passport

Alongside this a peer education programme has also been co-developed with Skills for People. This programme is about raising awareness of the menopause and is delivered by and for women with a learning disability. You can access the peer education course here: Peer Education.

Learning Disability Maternity Diamond Standards

The aims of the Learning Disability Maternity Diamond Standards are to:

Improve experiences of parents with a learning disability when accessing maternity care
Improve communication for parents with a learning disability when using maternity services
Improve use of reasonable adjustments in maternity services for parents with a learning disability
Improve identification of parents with a learning disability when accessing maternity services
Promote seamless care and reduce disparity of service

A range of resources have been developed which include:

A set of reasonably adjusted pathways on antenatal, labour and post-natal up to 10 days which are underpinned by a core set of values and principles
A maternity workforce education package
A range of easy read information leaflets
An easy read maternity Health & Care Passport
An easy read birth plan and post-natal plan
An easy read 6 – 8 week post-natal GP check pre questionnaire

All the resources can be found on our Local Maternity Neonatal System website here: Learning Disability Maternity Diamond Standards - Local Maternity Systems Northern England Local Maternity Systems Northern England

Watch this video to find out how the Learning Disability Maternity Diamond Standards have been used to support pregnant women with a learning disability: