#SpeakUp: Mencap

Healthwatch Sheffield’s #SpeakUp-funded My Health project worked with people with learning disabilities and their carers to explore awareness of annual health checks (AHCs), experiences of primary care and barriers to accessing preventative health services. The project engaged 40 people with learning disabilities and received feedback from 14 carers. The work was prompted by concerns that people with learning disabilities experience significantly poorer health outcomes than the general population and that uptake of annual health checks remains low.

Awareness of annual health checks among participants was generally good. Most people who attended the workshops already understood what annual health checks were and reported attending them regularly. Feedback about GP services was largely positive, with 97% of participants saying they either enjoyed visiting their GP or did not mind attending. Participants valued reasonable adjustments such as reminder phone calls and accessible communication. Carers also reported positive experiences and felt annual health checks helped build relationships with healthcare professionals and identify health issues early. However, some carers noted inconsistency in how thoroughly checks were carried out between practices. 

The report identified several barriers to accessing health checks. A key issue was a lack of support for people who lived independently or had limited involvement with support services. Many participants relied on carers to arrange appointments, explain health concerns and encourage attendance. Some individuals were unaware that annual health checks existed, had never received an invitation or found it difficult to contact their GP independently. Carers highlighted communication challenges, including difficulties explaining symptoms and understanding information provided by healthcare professionals. The report also found evidence that some GP practices were not consistently offering annual health checks, meaning that individuals without strong advocacy or support could miss out on services they were entitled to receive.

The report recommended improving consistency in the delivery of annual health checks across Sheffield, including the use of standardised approaches and better training for GPs on supporting people with learning disabilities. It also called for additional support for people who have limited informal support networks, stronger collaboration between learning disability services and primary care, and further research into the reasons why some eligible individuals do not attend annual health checks. The overall message was that annual health checks are valued and beneficial, but greater awareness, accessibility and support are needed to ensure all people with learning disabilities can access them equally.