Six newly appointed experts by experience (EBEs) will help deliver learning disability and autism training to NHS staff at Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) and more widely across mid and south Essex.
The new recruits will join a team of more than 20 other experts by experience who are autistic, have a learning disability, or both, to help ensure health and social care staff provide the best possible care to patients who are autistic or have a learning disability.
They play a vital role in supporting the delivery of the Oliver McGowan training on learning disability and autism. The mandatory training has been rolled out across the NHS nationally and aims to save lives by ensuring health and social care staff have the right skills and knowledge to provide safe, compassionate and informed care to autistic people and people with a learning disability.
The new recruits recently met each other at two welcome days held at the Trust’s head office in Wickford.
Holly Bocking, a newly recruited expert by experience, said: “I chose to take part in delivering the training to help people with learning disabilities be listened to, given good choices and to help everyone understand.”
Holly is joined by Grace Ellis who decided to get involved to help people with learning disabilities feel safe and understood when accessing healthcare.
EPUT is always looking for experts by experience to join the Trust to help ensure patients receive the best care.
Christine Cantello, Lived Experience Education Lead at EPUT, said: “We’re excited to be welcoming more autistic people and people with a learning disability who will help deepen colleagues’ understanding. Learning from those with lived experience is key to delivering safe and compassionate care.
“Anyone who joins us will help to deliver the training alongside qualified and supportive trainers, and you will be part of a welcoming network, given full training and will be paid for your time.”
Anyone interested can email [email protected]. More information is also available on the EPUT website.
About the Oliver McGowan training
The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism is named after Oliver McGowan, whose death shone a light on the need for health and social care staff to have better training. The Health and Care Act 2022 introduced a statutory requirement that regulated service providers must ensure their staff receive learning disability and autism training appropriate to their role.
The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training is the standardised training that was developed for this purpose and is the government’s preferred and recommended training for health and social care staff.
Oliver’s Training also supports the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan ambition by upskilling the wider health and care workforce to provide appropriately adjusted care for people with a learning disability and autistic people, to reduce health inequality.