Many practitioners within health and social care come into contact with people with intellectual disabilities and want to work in ways that are beneficial to them by making reasonable adjustments in order to meet clients' needs and expectations. Yet the health and wellbeing of people with learning disabilities continues to be a neglected area, where unnecessary suffering and premature deaths continue to prevail.This text provides a comprehensive insight into intellectual disability healthcare. It is aimed at those who are training in the field of intellectual disability nursing and also untrained practitioners who work in both health and social care settings. Divided into five sections, it explores how a wide range of biological, health, psychological and social barriers impact upon people with learning disability, and includes:Six guiding principles used to adjust, plan and develop meaningful and accessible health and social servicesAssessment, screening and diagnosis of intellectual disability across the life courseAddressing lifelong health needsPsychological and psychotherapeutic issues, including sexuality, behavioural and mental health needs, bereavement, and ethical concerns.The changing professional roles and models of meeting the needs of people with intellectual and learning disabilities. Intellectual Disability in Health and Social Care provides a wide-ranging overview of what learning disability professionals' roles are and provides insight into what health and social care practitioners might do to assist someone with intellectual disabilities when specific needs arise.

Introduction The Editors Section 1: The Six Guiding Principles 1. Ensuring Dignity and Respect Su Mcanelly and Dorothy Matthews 2. The Importance of Providing Accessible Information for People with Learning Disabilities Pamela Inglis and Su Mcanelly 3. Providing Equal Access to Services for People with Learning Disabilities Pamela Inglis, Andrew Stafford and Kaydii Inglis 4. Personal and Professional Development through Education and Training Su Mcanelly 5. Adapting Your Skills: Thinking Outside the Box Pamela Inglis and Angela Ridley 6. Delivering Quality to People with Learning Disabilities David Atkinson and Gwen Moulster Section 2: Assessment, Screening and Diagnosis 7. Pre/Peri/Post Natal Assessment, Screening and Diagnosis Helen Atherton and Shaun Derry 8. Developmental Issues in Early Childhood Helen Laverty 9. The Health Needs of Adolescence Jo Lay 10. Determining Health and Social Care in Adulthood Mary Dearing and Debbie Crickmore 11. Defining Old Age in the Learning Disabled Population Jo Lay 12. Assessment at the End of Life Isabel Quinn Section 3: Lifelong Health Needs 13. Supporting People with Severe Epilepsy: A Case Study in Diagnostic Overshadowing Malcolm Richardson 14. A Life with Cerebral Palsy: Neil's Story and Jose's Case Examples Malcolm Richardson, Bronwyn Roberts and Anne Lyons 15. Supporting People with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder Stacey Atkinson and Malcolm Richardson 16. Specific Health Needs and Conditions Lesley Montesci and Malcolm Richardson 17. Emotional Difficulties Malcolm Richardson Section 4: Psychological and Psychotherapeutic Issues 18. Sexuality and People with a Learning Disability Stacey Atkinson 19. The Behavioural Needs of People who Have a Learning Disability Mick Wolverson 20. The Mental Health Needs of People with a Learning Disability Stacey Atkinson, Dan Dearden and Catherine Bateson 21. Addressing the Needs of People with Learning Disabilities who Have Offended Anne Todd 22. Bereavement and Loss Nigel Mcloughlin and Paul Armitage 23. Ethical Issues When Meeting the Psychotherapeutic Needs of People with a Learning Disability Monica Murphy, Stacey Atkinson and Angela Ridley Section 5: Changing Roles 24. Inter-Professional Working Jo Lay and Stacey Atkinson 25. Changing Roles in Meeting the Needs of People with a Learning Disability Sheena Kelly and Lyndsey Charles 26. Health Promotion for People with a Learning Disability Stacey Atkinson and Sheena Miller 27. Public Health and Learning Disability Alex Mcclimens