Community Learning Disability Team

Contact us

For all queries or for support to make a referral, please phone:

0300 1234 195
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Make an online referral or for more information

If you would like help from our service, you can contact us using our easy read form:

You can also download our easy read referral form, or if you would like a paper copy sent to you, call our team on 0300 1234 195.

If you are a family member/carer or health care professional and would like to make a referral on someone’s behalf, complete our referral form.

Learning Disability referral form

Our services

Speech and Language Therapy (LD)

Vision and Hearing

Clinical Support Team

This team consists of secretaries, business administrator and business support officers who provide and lead an excellent learning disability support service, this is carried out by:

offering an informative and welcoming access point for all users of the service
offering day-to-day support to professional teams, which will enhance the experience of service operations and delivery
managing the central referral system and processes to support efficient delivery of care.

Practice partners

The practice partner has a lived-experience and is trained, supported and paid to deliver training on equality and diversity.

Their role is to keep the needs of people we support at the centre of what we do. We do this by:

promoting the needs and voice of people with a learning disability at all trust inductions and awareness sessions in hospitals and community services
promoting the work KCHFT does with people with a learning disability
supporting on interview panels to help recruitment
improving easy read communication documents
gaining feedback from people with a learning disability to improve the service
supporting public involvement in service research projects
supporting the clinical support team to provide administration support to the service.

Complex Care Response

The Complex Care Response for people with a learning disability is a multi-disciplinary initiative to make sure people receive the right support at the right time during episodes of crisis.

Each Complex Care Response is intended to be an intensive intervention and can be initiated by any member of the multidisciplinary teams or alliance partner agencies who support people with a learning disability.

The person will receive a same day response from key professionals identified – a 72-hour crisis/contingency plan will be agreed and shared across all relevant services. No single episode of CCR should last for longer than 12 weeks although this does not preclude continued multi-disciplinary input, if required, after this time.

The CCR is seen as an example of highly successful integrated working to prevent hospital admissions and, where possible, prevent people from having to move home.

A CCR can be initiated in order to achieve the following:

provide proactive and pre-emptive support (including education, training or skills development, etc.) to the person and carers where there is likely to be difficulties which may indicate a future risk of breakdown in placement or support
prevent a breakdown in an individual’s community support arrangements where a breakdown is likely to happen without intensive MDT support
manage a breakdown / crisis in the community in order to prevent admission to hospital
provide in-reach to acute inpatient services to support reasonable adjustments and speed up the patient’s discharge (including people not previously known to LD services.

My Health Navigation

My Health Navigation (MyHN) is a pathway of support for people with a learning disability and complex physical health needs who have many professionals and agencies involved in their care.

The Learning Disability Team will identify if you would benefit from having a member of their team as a health navigator. Your health navigator will get to know you and your families / carers hopes and concerns about your health. They will then call regular meetings with all those involved in your care. The aims of the meetings are:

to place you at the centre of planning about your physical health needs
to co-ordinate the support of your needs and make sure that everyone is working together
to think about your potential future health needs and to plan around what you will need in an emergency

If you are interested in talking to someone about your health needs and if a health navigator would be appropriate for you please speak to a member of the Learning Disability Team.

Who we are

We are a multi-disciplinary team that includes occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, community learning disability nurses, physiotherapists, a vision and hearing support team, assistant practitioners, a clinical support team and practice partners who work across Kent with adults who have a learning disability. We work in integrated teams across Kent and Medway alongside care managers, psychiatrists and psychologists, which form the Learning Disability Alliance.

What we do

We provide specialist health advice to people with learning disabilities, their carers, families and the wider health and social care community.

We work with our partners to provide care that is centred on the individual with learning disabilities, supporting them, their families and carers by signposting them to and helping them access hospitals and other mainstream services, in line with reasonable adjustments.

We also provide specialist direct clinical therapeutic support for people with complex behavioural, physical and mental health support needs.

We provide this service with Kent County Council, Medway Council and Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust. Together we strive to make a difference by providing health and social care to people with learning disabilities which meets their individual needs. We also work with our partners to support young people moving from children’s learning disability services into adult learning disability services.

How do you use this service?

To use our service, you, your family or carer can make a referral or you can be referred by a GP or healthcare professional.

To make a referral, please use our online referral form.

If you require an accessible format, please use our easy read self-referral form.

If you have any queries or require support to make a referral, please contact:

Central Referral System
0300 1234 195
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
kentchft.ldsref@nhs.net (please note this mailbox is not monitored daily)

Referral criteria

Adults aged 18 and over who have a mild, moderate, severe or profound learning disability who need specialist advice or interventions.

People who have learning disabilities that significantly impact on being able to live their lives independently.

People whose challenging behaviour significantly impacts on their inclusion and integration into mainstream services or activities in everyday life.

People who have a learning disability and are in transition from children’s to adult services – from 17 and a half-years-old.

AutonoMe

Free technology to help people with Learning Disabilities during Coronavirus outbreak.

AutonoMe

In response to the recent escalation of UK Governments Coronavirus strategy and the challenging months ahead AutonoMe will face in the Social Care sector they are proud to offer a free version of AutonoMe to any person with a Learning Disability in the UK.

Ready, Steady, Go, Hello programme

We understand that transitioning from children to adult services can be overwhelming especially when the person has a diagnosis of a long term condition. We have developed the 'Hello to Adult services' programme to help support young people and their family/carers through this process.

Go to website

This programme has been developed by University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust and you will be directed to their dedicated website.

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March 2024
North Kent

Physiotherapist was very knowledgeable and gave us some good tips and exercises to try. Made prompt referrals to required professionals.

January 2024
Ashford/Canterbury/Coastal

Very calm and positive and encouraging - also helpful, friendly and understanding.

May 2023
South Kent Coast

Very personalised, calm and person centred.

May 2023
Ashford, Canterbury & Coastal

Took the time to listen, understand what carers were saying.

May 2023
South Kent Coast

Cathy is very conscientious and experienced. She is also a good listener.

April 2023
East Kent

I felt very comfortable with Laura. She was kind, friendly and understanding. Laura explained things very well for me to understand.

April 2023
West Kent

They were nice to me. Spoke to me well. Listened.

April 2023
East Kent

I like going to see this place where I know I'm safe. I've always been happy with the with work these people are doing.

March 2023

The team member was friendly and seemed genuinely interested in the client. Offered advice when necessary.

March 2023

Excellent communication (collaborative care), liaising with service - very professional.

March 2023

Physio team polite, arrived on time and very encouraging.

March 2023

Tracey is always quick to come over, listens to us and helps us get the best outcomes for our service users.

March 2023

It was nice. They treated me kind. I felt comfortable, safe and secure. I was confident in my treatment.

March 2023

Encouragement throughout, very polite and professional.

January 2023
West Kent

Friendly, explained exercises.

January 2023
North Kent

The Speech and Language Therapist quickly made my client relaxed and interested in the reason she was working with him.

January 2023
South Kent Coast/Thanet

Very professional, gave us everything that was required, wonderful service that I did not know existed.

January 2023
South Kent Coast/Thanet

Caroline was very caring and understanding.

January 2023
Ashford/Canterbury/Coastal

Good communication and very helpful.

January 2023
North Kent

Always happy to help, kind, caring and nothing is too much trouble.

December 2022
South Kent Coast & Thanet

Very helpful, understanding and thorough, a pleasure to talk to.

December 2022
North Kent

The nurse listened and understood any concerns I had concerning my daughter's severe learning and autism and I wasn't rushed.

December 2022
South Kent Coast & Thanet

LD nurse was understanding. Very helpful. Followed up on all leads for different dept. Listened well to my daughter's needs. Helped us as a family.

June 2022
Ashford, Canterbury & Coastal

The care and compassion was outstanding.

June 2022
Ashford, Canterbury & Coastal

Very, very good. Phillipa has been a god send, she made my life a whole lot easier with the liasing she done, she always goes above and beyond.

June 2022
South Kent Coast & Thanet

Close attention has been given in assessment and open discussion involving family and carers.

June 2022
South Kent Coast & Thanet

Responded quickly to needs.

June 2022
West Kent

Always took a steady pace when talking and listening.

June 2022
South Kent Coast & Thanet

I found Cathy very approachable, kind and helpful as well as being very thorough and supportive.

May 2022
Ashford, Canterbury & Coastal

Good feedback lots of information provided.

June 2022
South Kent Coast & Thanet

Very good communication and support at all times.

April 2022
North Kent

Emma took time to assess my client and had a kind gentle approach.

March 2022
South Kent Coast & Thanet

Very efficient service and helpful in all aspects.

February 2022
West Kent

Very quick and efficient.

January 2022
North Kent

Angela was helpful, informative, kind and understanding.

February 2022
North Kent

Richard always addressed me and was compassionate.

January 2022
West Kent

Very informative - good support.

January 2022
North Kent

Stacey has been very quick to respond to our requests and extremely helpful.

January 2022
South Kent Coast & Thanet

Very detailed, checked a lot and gave a lot of helpful tips and information.

January 2022
South Kent Coast & Thanet

Quick service and feedback. Very helpful.

December 2021
West Kent

Listened to what was said and followed up promptly on things discussed.

December 2021
North Kent

The professionals showed respect and care to my daughter.

December 2021
South Kent Coast & Thanet

She gave the support staff information on how to manage my son's issues. She listened to staff concerns and thoughts.

November 2022

Staff very helpful. Hydro really improves my daughter's health and fitness levels.

November 2022

Very friendly staff, made the client feel at ease.

October 2022

Not rushed, took time and patience.

October 2022

Always face to face and on time. Resident always comes first and his involvement with everything and communication was brilliant.

October 2022

All care professionals have been very supportive.

September 2022

Always helpful staff, friendly.

September 2022

Very friendly, accommodating, enjoyable.

September 2022

The team member was very supportive and caring. Also lots of experience.

August 2022

Very knowledgeable, assessment carried out professionally.

August 2022

An excellent service and the lead physiotherapist and her team are very knowledgeable and committed.

August 2022

Wendy felt like a huge safety net for my family.

August 2022

Everything was explained in advance. Our concerns were taken seriously.

July 2022

Helpful suggestions - followed through with plans.

July 2022

The service provided is good and was helpful and useful.

July 2022

Service was good and recommendation was helpful, had a great chat.

Learning Disability Team

Contact us

Our services

Community nursing (LD)

Occupational Therapy (LD)

Physiotherapy (LD)

Speech and Language Therapy (LD)

The HOP

Vision and Hearing

Who we are

What we do

How do you use this service?

Referral criteria

AutonoMe

Ready, Steady, Go, Hello programme

Your comments