Foreword

In 2018, when I was the Executive Director of Nursing at NHS Improvement, I was very pleased to support the introduction of the Learning Disability Improvement Standards for NHS trusts. These standards are so important when delivering care to people with a learning disability and autistic people as they access NHS services. From respecting and protecting people’s rights, to ensuring the voices of people and their families are heard, it is essential that services improve the care they deliver to some of our most vulnerable members of society. Following my appointment to the position of Chief Nursing Officer for England, I remain absolutely committed to continue developing the standards and ensuring they are integral to delivering our aims to improve care for people with learning disabilities and autistic people as set out in the NHS Long Term Plan. By taking a longer-term England-wide approach, I am confident we can help to reduce the unwarranted variations in care and outcomes which many people with learning disabilities experience. By setting out the necessary benchmarks, and supporting trusts to assess their services, we enable them to understand their strengths and weaknesses, and how improvement can best be delivered. This work is providing us with valuable evidence to work in partnership with others to develop improvement tools and to shape the ongoing development of national policy. The Changing Our Lives team has gathered some truly inspirational stories from NHS trusts across England, showing how action is being taken to ensure that people with a learning disability and autistic people receive the care and support that they are entitled to. I am especially heartened to see so many learning disability nurses at the centre of these initiatives. This amplifies the unique role they have at the forefront of driving improvement for the individuals and families they serve.

Ruth May Chief Nursing Officer for England