14 Care of People with Learning Disabilities

This section of our curriculum guide refers to statement 14, Care of People with Learning Disabilities, produced by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP).

Patients with learning disabilities represent a small but significant proportion of a GP’s caseload. Patients with learning disabilities have an increased incidence of psychiatric illness, epilepsy and behavioural difficulties. Morbidity and mortality rates are considerably increased and life expectancy significantly reduced.

In managing patients with learning disabilities, GPs need to be aware of likely associated conditions and knowing where to obtain specialist help and advice, understand how psychiatric and physical illness may present atypically in patients with learning disabilities, and use additional skills of diagnosis and examination in patients unable to describe or verbalise symptoms.

Here we have collated key articles from our journals to help you meet the curriculum requirements in this area.