Learning Disabilities

Services for adults with a learning disability

Herefordshire Council and NHS Herefordshire work together to provide an integrated service for adults with a learning disability. This means that health and social care professionals work together as a unified team. The team includes a psychiatrist, social workers, nurses, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, and psychologists.

We provide a wide range of services to people with learning disabilities and give advice and support to carers. This could include providing supported living, planning for the future, or arranging short breaks to give everyone a rest.

We accept referrals from a variety of sources: individuals with learning disabilities themselves, carers and professionals. To make a referral please phone our duty desk on 01432 260320. Also, please use this number for any general queries regarding services for adults with learning disabilities in Herefordshire.   

Valuing People

In 2001, the Government published a new plan which provided a lot of advice about how services for people with learning disabilities could improve.  The plan was called 'Valuing People'; an updated version called 'Valuing People Now' was published in 2009.   These plans want to make sure that  people with learning disabilities are able to use a full range of services like any other citizen.

• There are links in the Resources Box below to Valuing People and Valuing People Now from the Department of Health.

The Learning Disabilities Partnership Board

Every area in the country has a Partnership Board to put 'Valuing People' into practice.  The Herefordshire Board's role is to make sure that services in Herefordshire for people with a learning disability improve in the way that Valuing People and Valuing People Now say they should.  Many different agencies, service users and family carers participate.

• If you want to know more about the Board, please contact Paul Choppen on pchoppen@herefordshire.gov.uk
• The Partnership Board has its own website with lots of news and information about learning disabilities in Herefordshire.  Please click on the link below in the External Links Box to see the website.

News and views

The Partnership Board have set up a monthly newsletter about learning disabilities issues in Herefordshire. There is an Editorial Board, mainly of local people with learning disabilities. If you would like a copy of the newsletter, please write to newsandviews@echoherefordshire.co.uk