The Learning Disability and Autism Nurse Service provides high quality specialist nursing care to children and adults with a learning disability, to enhance health quality of life in the community and to provide care and support to their families and carers.
This service is available to the whole of the Shetland Islands.
Services offered
- Advice, support and specialist help.
- Support and guidance on day to day care for an individual with a learning disability.
- Assistance with managing difficult behaviour.
- To monitor, advise and support adults and children who experience sleep disturbance, aggression and over activity etc.
- Ensure optimum health is achieved.
- Epilepsy monitoring and training.
- Continence advice.
- Sensory stimulation.
- Health Promotion: Educating people regarding their physical and health needs and facilitating access to appropriate health care services.
- Advice, information and monitoring of specific conditions and syndromes.
- Referral to other agencies, eg, Education, Speech and Language Therapy, Physiotherapy, Psychology, Social Work, Occupational Therapy etc.
- Training to carers in specific areas.
- Liaises with the visiting Specialist in Learning Disability Services, a Consultant Psychiatrist and Clinical Psychologist.
- A Liaison Service within the hospital - help to reduce anxiety levels and preparation before admission / appointment / investigations.
Who can use this service?
The Learning Disability and Autism Nurse Service caters for children and adults who have a learning disability with specific needs and for the carers who support them.
Individuals who have a learning disability, parents, carers and other professionals or voluntary groups can make direct referrals to this service via the referral form.
What happens when you contact the service?
An appointment to meet you is made via the telephone. This usually occurs in your own home and on the first visit, and assessment of the problems will be made to determinine if the service can offer assistance. An agreed plan is developed on how to tackle the specific problem.
This is usually followed up with regular support - the problem and agreed plan are reviewed and evaluated until a satisfactory outcome is reached. Referral to other services may also be required.
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