Improving equality of healthcare for people with learning disabilities

People with learning disabilities die, on average, 20 years earlier than the general population but many of these premature deaths could be avoided by giving these patients equal access to healthcare services. All nurses will care for people with learning disabilities but some may have inappropriate attitudes or lack the knowledge and skills to respond to their needs. This article looks at what nurses need to know and what they can do to reduce inequities in the health and care of this patient group.