health
Lack of learning-disability nurses in UK is an ‘absolute crisis’, says union
Exclusive: Royal College of Nursing says 1.5m vulnerable people not getting the right care, as specialism is ‘consistently undermined’
TL;DR
- The number of specialist learning-disability nurses in the UK has fallen by a third since 2009, from 7,083 to 4,768.
- This shortage means 1.5 million people with learning disabilities are not receiving their legal right to equitable healthcare.
- Student numbers for learning-disability nursing have also significantly decreased, with a 40% reduction in accepted students over the past decade.
- Specialist nurses feel devalued and lack the resources to provide adequate care.
- People with learning disabilities already face poorer health outcomes, including a reduced life expectancy of about 20 years.
- The Royal College of Nursing urges the government to recognize learning-disability nursing as a safety-critical profession and implement a coordinated support program.