Assessment in primary care

For many people with learning disabilities, the presence of ill health may impair their ability to achieve the best possible quality of life. The attainment of a good standard of health (at least as good as the rest of the population) is a reasonable goal. Primary care teams are central to the provision of good-quality healthcare. This provision is based on an ability to assess, investigate and manage a range of common and complex conditions, which requires an awareness of the specific needs of this population. The expected health needs of people with learning disabilities in the community and how best to identify and address these needs are described here. These needs include improved access to health promotion, identification of common but unidentified illness and the common comorbidities of people with a learning disability such as epilepsy. The organization of care is also reviewed, in particular the need for structured care delivery through health checks.