Tom Tat and Maureen Turner argue that learning disability nurses need to adapt their skills to meet the challenges of the future

Historically, the delivery of care to people with learning disabilities has been based on hybrid models of care that were adapted, often crudely, from models developed to deliver health care to the general population. While we acknowledge that people with learning disabilities are part of the general population, such models fail to meet the complex needs associated with their learning disability. A potential consequence of this omission can result in a reductionist approach to care planning and ultimately health care delivery.