All health professionals should receive mandatory training in autism and learning disabilities.
That’s the view of Paula McGowan, whose 18-year-old son Oliver died at Southmead Hospital, Bristol, after doctors gave him antipsychotic medication.
She has launched a petition calling for compulsory training in autism and learning disabilities for health professionals. The UK Parliament will consider it for debate if it reaches 100,000 signatures.
Oliver McGowan, who died after a hospital gave him an antipsychotic against the instructions of his family
Thousands call for training in autism
The petition has the support of Mencap. By the time of this story’s publication more than 21,000 people had signed it.
Oliver had a mild learning disability and high-functioning autism.
His family says they repeatedly warned doctors not to give him the antipsychotic because of past reactions.
Nevertheless, they went ahead and gave him the medication anyway.
‘One person to speak to him at a time’
McGowan said her son needed “one person to speak to him at a time”. He also needed reassurance, humour and space, rather than people crowding him.
But, most important, the health professionals should have listened to Oliver and his family, she added.
McGowan said her son’s brain swelled so badly after the antipsychotic it was bulging out of the base of his skull when he died.
The recent Learning Disability Mortality Review found people with a learning disability were dying on average 22.8 years earlier for men and 29.3 for women.
No training for one in four
And research published by Mencap found almost a quarter (23 per cent) of healthcare professionals have never attended learning disability training.
Jan Tregelles is Mencap’s chief executive. She said health professionals should not be allowed to “step foot in a hospital” without learning disability training.
Legal requirement for reasonable adjustments
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said there is a “legal requirement” for health professionals to make reasonable adjustments for those with learning disabilities.
The spokesperson added that health checks, accessible information and staff training would also ensure people with learning disabilities are not disadvantaged.
You can view and sign the petition here: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/221033
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Published: 27 June 2018
