News

New resource will help mental health nurses care for those with learning disabilities

A new resource will help mental health nurses better care for people with learning disabilities, according to a charity.
geoff

A new resource will help mental health nurses better care for people with learning disabilities, according to a charity.

Star Wards, an organisation dedicated to improving care on inpatient mental health wards, has developed Marvellous Care, a tool to boost confidence and equip nurses with new skills.

Mental health nurse and Star Wards’ executive director Geoff Brennan said Marvellous Care had been designed to address a gap.

All-round help

‘Mental health nurses were coming to us saying they didn’t know how to nurse people with a learning disability,’ said Mr Brennan, speaking at the Learning Disability Practice conference in Manchester earlier this week. 

‘Nurses in particular are keen to get out there and improve care. Marvellous Care helps them adapt their skills to the needs of the patient, and all in a colourful, easy-to-read, fun package.’

The new resource will offer advice, guidance, tips and tactics for mental health nurses in looking after patients with learning disabilities.

Wards sign up 

The charity has a track record of offering practical solutions for improving care, with 650 wards having implemented its 75 low-cost and practical suggestions. 

Mr Brennan was keen to stress that Star Wards did not roll out programs, but instead offered suggestions to ‘tweak, turn and transform’ care, including:

  • Patients writing their own profiles for staff.
  • Pets as visitors and residents.
  • Recreation budgets controlled by patients.

Creating opportunities 

Mr Brennan said learning disability nurses were particularly good at communication. 

He added: ‘We believe that staff up and down the country are doing superb work, despite extraordinary challenges, and are creating healing, imaginative and fun opportunities for thousands of patients.’ 

Marvellous Care will be launched at the end of October.


Further information

Read about Star Wards

Jobs