This course helps you communicate well with people with a learning disability and autistic people, make reasonable adjustments, and avoid diagnostic overshadowing. It covers the law, accessible information, capacity and consent, working with families and carers, and practical adjustments across healthcare settings, with case studies and worked examples.
What you will learn
- Explain what a learning disability is and what autism is, and describe the health inequalities that people with a learning disability and autistic people experience.
- Describe the legal duty to make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010 and the requirements of the Accessible Information Standard.
- Recognise and avoid diagnostic overshadowing when assessing a person's symptoms or behaviour.
- Adapt your communication, environment and information to meet a person's needs, including using easy read, hospital passports and the person's own communication methods.
- Apply the Mental Capacity Act 2005 to support decision making, and involve families and carers appropriately.
Course content
- Why this matters (2 min)
- Understanding learning disability and autism (2 min)
- Diagnostic overshadowing (2 min)
- The law: reasonable adjustments and accessible information (2 min)
- Communicating well (4 min)
- Capacity, consent and working with families (3 min)
- Case study and reflection (3 min)
- Knowledge check (10 questions, 10 min)
- Guided reflection (15 min)
Standards and guidance covered
- Health and Care Act 2022: requirement for registered service providers to ensure staff receive training on learning disability and autism
- The Oliver McGowan code of practice on statutory learning disability and autism training (in force from September 2025), and the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism
- Equality Act 2010, including the duty to make reasonable adjustments
- Mental Capacity Act 2005 and its Code of Practice
- NHS England: Accessible Information Standard (DAPB1605), updated 2025
- NICE guideline CG142: Autism spectrum disorder in adults: diagnosis and management
- GMC: Good Medical Practice (2024); NMC: The Code; HCPC: Standards of conduct, performance and ethics; GPhC: Standards for pharmacy professionals
Certificate
Courses are free to study. When you pass the knowledge check (80%) and complete your reflection, you can buy a verified certificate showing your CPD time, with a unique ID and QR code that anyone can check on our verification page.
Study free at your own pace on any device.
Practitioner Insight is an independent education provider. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the GMC, MPTS, NMC, HCPC, GPhC or any NHS organisation, and this information is not legal advice. If you have been referred to a regulator, speak to your defence organisation, trade union or legal representative.