Health Profile campaign aims to meet needs of learning disability community
20 January 2025
A new Wales-wide campaign is calling for people with a learning disability to own a Health Profile and make their voice heard.
A Health Profile is a document owned by people with a learning disability to tackle health inequalities. It can be used to overcome communication barriers and helps healthcare staff to make reasonable adjustments.
Lloyd Martin, the youngest person with a learning disability to complete a full marathon, values his Health Profile as much as his Guinness World Record because it helps care services to meet his needs by making reasonable adjustments.
“A Health Profile helps me to share important information about me and my health,” said Lloyd, who captured hearts in New York as he danced his way through the 26.2 mile distance in his most recent marathon.
The 20-year-old uses his Health Profile to overcome the type of health inequalities faced by many of his peers.
“It includes information like my medical history, how I communicate, my allergies, my medication, and the support I need. The staff know exactly how to help me when I go to appointments. It’s just as important as my world record certificate.”
The document can be completed by individuals with a learning disability or with support from someone who knows them well, such as families, carers, and support staff.
Ceri Hooper, Lloyd’s Mum and carer, said: “It only took us 10 minutes to fill in Lloyd’s Health Profile and it is a really helpful communication tool for us. Every person with a learning disability should have a Health Profile. I’d encourage families and carers to help this to happen because it can lead to much more positive experiences when accessing health services.”
The Health Profile can be given to healthcare staff, such as doctors and nurses, to help them give the right patient-centred care at the right time by making reasonable adjustments. It can be used at any appointment, including clinical places like hospitals or in the community at places like GP surgeries and opticians.
As part of the campaign, those who provide care and support to people with a learning disability are being asked to help complete Health Profiles. Family, friends, carers, and support staff who advocate for people with additional needs often play a crucial role in helping them to access health services.
Staff who provide care services should:
- Ask for a Health Profile when you first meet a person with a learning disability.
- Be clear with colleagues by letting them know when a Health Profile is available.
- Check information is up to date by asking the individual or the person they are with.
- Download the Health Profile template and help to complete it if an individual doesn’t already have one.
Beth Williams, a Registered Learning Disability Nurse and Improvement Manager at Improvement Cymru, explained the importance of the Health Profile.
She said: “When someone with a learning disability visits a hospital or a medical environment, they can have difficulty in expressing what they need which could impact the care they get.
“The Health Profile makes it easier for people with a learning disability to communicate their needs. This improves their experiences when accessing services and it helps them to receive safe healthcare when they need it.
“There are lots of benefits with the Health Profile. People with a learning disability have told us many ways that healthcare staff have been able to make reasonable adjustments after reading their Health Profile, which is recognised as the tool to use across Wales.”
People with a learning disability are more likely to experience avoidable health problems, delayed treatment, and premature and/or avoidable deaths. The Health Profile aims to empower the community to easily share important information about their health.
Do you want to complete a Health Profile? You can download the template at: www.improvementcymru.net/health-profile.
The range of online resources includes a ‘How to’ guide for filling in your own Health Profile, and Guidance Notes for families and carers.