Peter Griffin Discipline Lead, learning Disability Nursing School of Nursing and Midwifery

1. Peter Griffin Discipline Lead, learning Disability Nursing School of Nursing and Midwifery Queen’s University Belfast 90975811 p.griffin@qub.ac.uk

2. 5 Health and Social Care Trusts(Population of Northern Ireland 1.8 million)

3. Structure of Health and Social Care services in Northern Ireland • Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety • Public Health Agency / Health and Social Care Board • Five Health and Social Care Trusts • Local Commissioning Groups • Population: 1.8 million people • 16 636 people with learning disability (2003 administrative prevalence) • 85% of people live at home or with relatives

4. QUB • Queen’s University, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Belfast is the sole provider of pre-registration Learning Disability Nursing in Northern Ireland. (since 1997) • Students may gain practice experience within each of the 5 Trusts • All Fields will gain Learning Disability Nursing experience through enhancement, spoke opportunities and co-operative learning with significant service user involvement • Post-registration learning opportunities are available. University of Ulster offers post-registration opportunities as well.

5. Practice Experience • Although three hospital sites remain, • Muckamore Abbey, Antrim • Longstone, Armagh • Lakeview, Derry • They are now mainly refurbished and functioning as Treatment and Assessment Units. • Majority of experience gained within Community nursing service within each Trust area & independent,voluntary and charitable establishments across Northern Ireland

6. Current numbers of students (Learning Disability) • 30 commissioned places each September • Following a recent recruitment campaign and a move to a September intake, student numbers have increased dramatically!

7. UU • Adult and mental health students at Ulster • Opportunities for nursing students to engage with people who have learning disabilities • worksheets to demonstrate students work with people with learning disability across year one, two and three • Use of Lilliput theatre company

8. ‘Bringing it all back home’

9. The 2010 NMC standards for pre-registration give us an opportunity to bring the competencies required to care for people with a learning disability closer to the family of nursing and place particular emphasis within the other three fields and including midwifery.

10. Shift happens! • (and that’s not a spelling mistake)

11. The challenges ahead? • Ensuring Learning Disability nursing has significant presence in other fields particularly in Schools where Learning Disability nursing is not commissioned. • Ensuring the experience of families and carers is used to drive up standards • shift attitudes and ensure that people with learning disabilities are treated with dignity and respect • Joining the patches

12. ‘ ‘Making it personal’ Owen Barr – University of Ulster

13. Finally a few pics.........

14. Titanic signature building

15. That’s my new house!

16. The AV suite!