Healthcare for older children and adults

Find out about health support for older children and adults

There is different health support available for different age groups.

Learning disability register

The learning disability register is a list of all the people with a learning disability that the GP surgery looks after.

It helps your doctor and healthcare staff know what support you need. 

Find out more and how to sign up on Mencap's website

Annual health checks

It is important that everyone over the age of 14 who is on their doctor's learning disability register, has an annual health check.

Find out more about annual health checks on the NHS website

Health action plans 

The doctor will write a health action plan following an annual health check. A health action plan explains: 

  • the patient’s health needs 
  • what will happen about them, including what the patient needs to do 
  • who will help 
  • when this will be reviewed 

For more information about health action plans, watch a video on AHSN Network's YouTube channel:

Continuing healthcare

Some people with long-term complex health needs qualify for free social care arranged and funded solely by the NHS. This is known as NHS continuing healthcare.

Find out more about continuing healthcare on the NHS website

End of life care

For general information, find out about end of life care on the NHS website.

For help with the end of life care for people with learning disabilities, including the right to refuse treatment, there is easy read end of life planning information on Essex.gov.uk