Exploring the views of UK regional primary care practitioners on the use and role of screening tools for learning disabilities in their services

Accessible summary Many people with learning disabilities have poor health and die younger compared to the general population so having regular health checks is very important. Sometimes doctors (general practitioners or GPs) and nurses do not know a person has a learning disability so cannot offer them a suitable health check. We asked GPs and a nurse for their views on ways they can find out who has learning disabilities and whether those ways of finding people work We found that the doctors and the nurses did not use ways to find out who has learning disabilities very often, but thought they were a good idea. Finding people with learning disabilities meant they could be offered support to attend appointments more easily.