Training, results, action! – New GP slots for LD&A

Training and perseverance have paid off as GPs now offer special quieter time slots and areas for those that need it.

Two years ago, the then Chair of the Pro-Active Community, Pat, was invited to attend Surrey County Council’s offices in Leatherhead, as a guest speaker, to talk about her experiences of attending appointments as an individual with learning disability and autism (LD & A) needs. This was possible thanks to the supported presentation sessions. They enabled all voices to be heard and listened to.

In front of a forum of 15+ GP’s from across Surrey, Pat shared real experiences for them to better understand the needs of those with LD & A, when attending appointments.

As a result of Pat’s presentation to the group, GP practices have started offering special quieter time slots for appointments.  Some have gone further by allowing set areas of the waiting rooms to be separate so people can use those quieter areas. All this makes the process of attending an appointment more manageable for those with LD & A.

Pat was able to hold this presentation with help from the team at Active Prospects. They helped her prepare for the presentation in advance, practiced what would be said, and attended with her. This was done through the Techniques and Interview Protocols (TIP) training. This provided her with the resources and confidence to present her piece and answer any questions from the group with ease. TIP training is a session that a member of staff at Active Prospects developed as part of CIPD Learning and Development qualification.  It aims to provide people we support some guidance on expectations and skills needed for interviews.  This can be either running an interview or being an interviewee.

A huge well done to Pat for voicing her views and personal experiences on the topic.   Without people being willing to share their experiences first-hand, it’s hard for services to know how to improve.