Disability

Disability Action Group

Due to the covid 19 Pandemic the Disability Action Group meetings weren’t held regularly. We are currently reintroducing them and we hope that the group will be back to meeting regularly every two months as previously. Currently they will be held online, and we are looking into a mixture of meetings that will be face to face and virtual.

Two Ticks Employer

The Trust is part of the Guaranteed Interview Scheme Guaranteed Interview scheme. If you are disabled and meet the minimum criteria on a job application and fill in the box on the job application to say you wish to be considered as part of the scheme, then you are guaranteed an interview.

Disability Confident

Disability Confident organisations play a leading role in changing attitudes for the better. They're changing behaviour and cultures in their own businesses, networks and communities, and reaping the benefits of inclusive recruitment practices.

AccessAble

Relevant up-to-date information regarding access to Ashford Hospital can be found at:
www.accessable.co.uk/ashford-st-peter-s-hospital/ashford-hospital

For St Peter's Hospital, information can be found here:
www.accessable.co.uk/ashford-st-peter-s-hospital/st-peter-s-hospital

Learning Disabilities

People with learning disabilities have a right to the same level of health care as that provided to the general population. This care should be flexible and responsive and any diagnosis or treatment must take account of specific needs associated with the person’s learning disability.

The term "Learning Disability (LD)" is used to describe a person who has developmental delay or intellectual disabilities which are usually evident from birth or early childhood.

There are three core criteria, which must be met for the term learning disability to apply:

Significant impairment of intellectual function
Significant impairment of adaptive and or social function (ability to cope on a day to day basis with the demands of his/her environment and the expectations of age and culture)
Age of onset before adulthood.

The Trust works closely with Brooklands College in giving work experience to their students with learning disabilities.

Acute Liaison Nursing Service for People with Learning Disabilities

The service provides advice and support for people with learning disabilities who are in contact with acute hospital services in Surrey as well as to their family, carers, paid staff, and acute staff.

The service may include:

Helping people with learning disabilities have access to information in an easy-to-read format.
Providing support and guidance to hospital staff to meet the needs of people with learning disabilities.
Co-ordinating the care of someone with a learning disability at any point of their hospital journey.
Helping someone with learning disabilities prepare for their hospital visit and/or stay.
Provide training opportunities to acute staff regarding the needs of people with learning disabilities.
Encouraging acute staff to make reasonable adjustments where required.
Providing advice around the Mental Capacity Act including capacity assessments, best interest decisions and referring to the Independent Mental Capacity Advocates.
Support the discharge process.
Signpost to other services as required.

Acute Liaison Nursing Service Contacts:

Community Team for Learning Disabilities West: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Learning Disability Team at St Peter’s Hospital: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Adult Safeguarding Team at St Peter’s Hospital: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Learning Disability Policy

The policy has been reviewed and updated to reflect the current service provided to the Trust by Surrey and Border’s Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SABP) and the expectation of the staff working for ASPH.

The policy addresses a range of additional considerations and processes necessary to give appropriate care to people who have learning disabilities and other cognitive impairments including equality of access, easy to understand information, use of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and best interest decision making responsibilities ... read the Learning Disability Policy

Mental Capacity Policy

This policy is for staff working within the Ashford and St Peter’s NHS Foundation Trust who are involved in the care and/or treatment of a person who is over 16 and may lack mental capacity in relation to specific decisions. The processes outlined in this policy must be followed to ensure that the decisions made with the patient are in line with the patient’s best interest. The policy is aimed at ensuring that the Ashford and St Peter’s NHS Foundation Trust work is in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 ... read the Mental Capacity Policy

Useful Resources

Weblinks

Disability Data 2021/22

Disability status by staff group