Nursing in mental health services

Learning Disability Nurses who work in mental health services undertake a variety of roles and have a range of responsibilities. They may be working with adults or children in the community, inpatient mental health wards, forensic services, perinatal services, eating disorder or substance misuse teams.

The mental health needs of the learning disability population are complex and diverse. People have the right to access services when their predominate need is mental health. The learning disability nurse supports colleagues to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that people receive fair access to services. It takes a unique set of skills and expertise to be a nurse in these areas. In addition to being highly skilled clinicians, these nurses must be adept in their approach, with a high level of empathy and sensitivity to tune in with people who need very particular, personalised care.