The impact of the system’s learning disability and autism programme in the Black Country has been celebrated with a visit from Amanda Pritchard, Chief Executive and Tom Cahill, National Director for Learning Disability and Autism, NHS England, to Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
Amanda and Tom met with Trust staff, citizens and families to learn more about the developments led by the Trust as lead provider of learning disability and autism services in the Black Country.
As lead provider, the Trust both commissions and provides services, working collaboratively with partner and local communities to plan and design services that will have the greatest impact in terms of supporting people to stay well and live happier, healthier lives.
During the visit at DY1 Community Centre in Dudley on Friday 29 September, Amanda and Tom learned more about these developments and the real impact these are having on the lives of citizens with learning disabilities and autism, including from self-advocates and their role in co-production.
The Trust’s keyworker team shared with Amanda and Tom how the service is providing personalised support to young people with learning disabilities and autism who are most at risk of needing hospital care and how they provide holistic, non-clinical support that puts the young person’s goals and wishes at the centre of their work. Amanda and Tom also heard about the innovative and multi-agency approaches put into place to avoid inappropriate admissions by wrapping support around people in the community.
Kuli Kaur Wilson, Chief Strategy and Partnerships Officer at Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said: “As lead provider for learning disabilities and autism in the Black Country, we are committed to developing services that can improve the health and wellbeing of our citizens.
“Collaboration is at the heart of our approach, with local people, communities and across partners – we recognise that by working together, and learning from each other, we can achieve much better outcomes in the Black Country.
“It was wonderful to welcome Amanda Pritchard and Tom Cahill to the Black Country to showcase the tremendous work of our learning disabilities and autism partnership, and how this is making a real difference to the lives of our citizens.
“I’m so proud of everyone involved in this vital work and look forward to our services achieving even greater things in the future.”