Mrs Giselle Cope (UK)

Raising the profile and unique contribution of learning disability nurses in England

‘Celebrate Me’Raisingtheprofileandunique contribution

of learningdisability nurses inEngland

© Foundation of Nursing Studies 2019

Giselle Cope, Practice Development Facilitator

The Foundation of Nursing Studies

About FoNS

• An independent, not for profit organisation that works directly with nurses and nurse-led teams to improve care for patients, service users, residents, their families and carers

• Our vision is to inspire and enable a culture across health and social care that value people, where:

‘people experience services that are caring, safe, effective and staff feel appreciated and supported’

• We are committed to using and sharing innovative, knowledge based and creative approaches to enabling person-centred ways of working

‘Celebrate Me’

‘Celebrate Me’• Supported by NHSE/I and HEE which began

in 2018

• Purpose, to raise the profile and unique contribution of LD nurses

• Focus was to engage with LD nurses, people who use services at the frontline of care delivery

• Range of approaches including tweet chats, survey and face to face stakeholder events, over 1000 people have contributed

• The report shares the voices of those working at the frontline and people using services to celebrate LD nursing and share what needs to be championed for the future through words, narratives and graphic art

Celebrate Now and Championing for the Future

© Foundation of Nursing Studies 2019

LD nurses empower the person with a learning

disability to have a fulfilling life and support their family

‘Learning disability nurses bring a unique and rare skill set that supports, enables

and empowers people with LD to have better health.’

© Foundation of Nursing Studies 2019

LD nurses promote social inclusion, equity and fairness

‘Everyone in our society is of equal value and has a

contribution to make. Learning disability nurses support some of

the most vulnerable of those people to live longer, healthier

lives and guide and support both them and their families and

carers to achieve their potential and make positive contributions.’

© Foundation of Nursing Studies 2019

LD nurses have specialist knowledge and skills

‘Learning disability nurses are versatile,

adaptable and dynamic. They work with children, adults and older people in generic and specialist health and social care, in education and forensic

etc.’

© Foundation of Nursing Studies 2019

LD nurses build capacity for healthy lives

‘Without LDNs the knowledge and

understanding of complexity, diagnostic

overshadowing and reasonable adjustment diminishes leading to

poorer health outcomes for people and families.’

© Foundation of Nursing Studies 2019

Championing for the Future• Strengthen the visibility of LD nurses

• Recognise LD nursing as an equal and valuable branch of nursing

• Increase the educational provision for LD nursing

• Educate all professionals and staff about learning disabilities

• Expand economic assessment of LD nurses

• The role of LD nurses as autonomous practitioners

Dear Chief NurseA learning disability nurse is important to me because…

© Foundation of Nursing Studies 2019

© Foundation of Nursing Studies 2019

Creating Caring Cultures Fellowship, for aspiring and

early career frontline Registered Learning

Disability Nurses (RNLD)

© Foundation of Nursing Studies 2019

© Foundation of Nursing Studies 2019

Any questions?

For further information about the work of FoNS,

please visit:

www.fons.org

www.ldnurses.wordpress.com

Twitter: @FoNSCharity

@GiselleatFoNS

Facebook Group:Foundation

Nursing of Nursing Studies

Thank you

© Foundation of Nursing Studies 2019