Winterbourne

Published: 17 October 2011

Winterbourne View and the future of Learning Disability Nursing.

The shocking scenes in the Panorama programme from 31st May this year will not have gone unnoticed by all Nurses, however for learning disability nurses this has required a period of reflection. Once the feelings of revulsion had subsided we are left with the question as to how this happen in the 21st Century?

The UK Learning Disability Consultant Nurse Network along with representatives of the Royal College of Nursing – Learning Disability Nursing Forum and the Department of Health met recently to unpick these very issues. The group cited the Position Statement of Learning Disability Nursing as key for gathering together the main influencing factors, that of Education, Leadership and Workforce.

Learning Disability Nurses have contributed to the transformation of society over the last thirty years, enabling the move away from institutional hospital care to that of community living, and have forged new paths presenting evidence, creating positions in mainstream organisations and articulating new specialist knowledge. However the challenges for the future are clearly identified; as the public health profile changes, the number of Learning Disability Nurses reduces and the nature of health and social care delivery and education transforms a co-ordinated response is required to ensure Learning Disability Nursing is fit for purpose and fit for the future.

The collaborative work the RCN is embarking upon with the four countries Department’s of Health, the Consultant Nurses Network and private and voluntary providers relating to workforce, leadership and education will deliver this coordinated approach to modernise learning disability nursing.
The Royal College of Nursing’s Position Statement on Learning Disability Nursing Learning from the Past, Setting out the Future is available at http://www.rcn.org.uk/development/researchanddevelopment/newsevents/research_policy_and_practice/rcn_position_statement_on_the_role_of_the_learning_disability_nurse
For more information please contact Daniel.marsden@nhs.net