United Kingdom Learning Disability Consultant Nurse Network UKLDCNN

The Network was established in September 2000 and seeks to provide strategic UK and four country specific leadership for learning disability nursing, its membership includes all learning disability consultant nurses known to be in post in any organisation or working independently. The Network also has a number of associate members who are typically senior nurses who support the work of the UKLDCNN. The Network has clear links and works closely with key nursing and learning disability organisations.

UKLDCNN members share their work through various means and are available to support local forum meetings, offer coaching and mentoring and much more. Make contact directly with a Network member or via another senior nurse you know.

Follow us on Twitter @UKLDCNN

The Learning and Intellectual Disability Nursing Academic Network brings together learning disability nurse lecturers and researchers from across the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Learning Disability England exists to make life better with people with Learning Disabilities and their families. We are a not for profit membership organisation bringing together people with learning disabilities, families, professionals and organisations.

Membership is open to any person, organisation or group that supports Learning Disability England’s aims and wants to be part of making them happen.

The aims are:

1. What is important to people with Learning Disabilities is heard and understood:

2. There is a change in behaviour in service design and delivery that builds on rights

3. Demonstrate coproduction and real collaborative working making a difference

4. Live our values and model the change we want

The Learning Disability Professional Senate is made up of members of the various Colleges and Societies that represent groups of clinical professionals who provide specialist health support to children and adults who have a learning disability. It covers the jurisdictions of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The aim of the Learning Disability Professional Senate is to provide a voice through which we can lead and inform government offices and other strategic leaders about the needs of children and adults with a learning disability. It brings together professional leaders from across the UK, to provide a collective voice of specialist health and social care practitioners.

The Florence Nightingale Foundation Policy Unit is proud to support Learning Disability Nurses and to work collaboratively with partners to promote and sustain Learning Disability Nursing

FoNS focus on the improvement of care through the development of nurses. FoNS have specific programmes to develop nurses’ skills including Learning Disability Nurses who are highly skilled and should be front and centre of any workforce reforms. Get it right for Learning Disability Nursing, get it right for the entire profession.

Collaboration is key for us to progress the Learning Disability Nursing profession and ensure our population is cared and advocated for within a human rights framework.

Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI)– as part of work to develop Learning Disability nurses the QNI are developing ‘Voluntary Standards for Community Learning Disability Nurse Education and Practice’, which will raise the standards of quality of nurse education in the community.

The Florence Nightingale trust are helping to develop the leadership skills of learning disability nurses, by

Foundation of nursing Studies are undertaking work entitled Creating Caring Cultures Fellowship, for aspiring and early career frontline Registered Learning Disability Nurses (RNLD). Ensuring the development of facilitative leadership skills, confidence, methods and approaches in leading the development of person-centred cultures of care within Learning Disability services.

Health Education England are increasing the numbers of people accessing both Nursing Associate and Registered Learning Disability Nurse training through the apprenticeship route. We are also developing a career and competency framework for Learning Disability Nurses, which will show how they can enjoy both a managerial and clinical career.

With many Learning Disability Nurses working in social care it’s vital that adult social care workers have the right skills and knowledge to provide high quality, person-centred care and support. Skills for Care have developed frameworks for Learning Disability Commissioners, Workers and the education of the workforce.

The Council of Deans of Health brings together the UK’s strategic academic leaders in healthcare education and research.

As part of work to retain learning disability nurses in the workforce, the college is undertaking a piece of work that will help us better understand how to support and retain Learning Disability nurses.

The RCN Foundation is an independent charity that is committed to supporting and strengthening nursing and midwifery to improve the health and wellbeing of the public. The Foundation exists to support any nurse, midwife or health care support worker across the UK.

Learning Disability Nursing is a particular theme for their grant programme

We are pleased to be involved in this important work. We remain concerned about the dramatic reduction in the number of Learning Disability Nurses employed by the NHS, and the support they receive. People with learning disabilities deserve better from our society and we know that employing Learning Disability Nurses is one step to delivering on this.