The Views of Carers of Adults with Intellectual Disabilities on Annual Health Checks - Final Report

This report presents data from a survey of carers about Annual Health Checks for people with learning/intellectual disabilities. The main aims of this study were to discover what factors cause the low uptake of Annual Health Checks (AHCs) by people with learning disabilities. For those who have had AHCs they explored the level of carers' satisfaction with these. This report presents data from a survey of carers. There is quantitative data from answers to standardized survey questions and qualitative data was also collected about carers' opinions and experiences. Findings identify, people with ID were more likely to have an AHC if cared for by a paid carer rather than by the family. The number of people with ID attending and being invited for an AHC needs to be increased. Increased training, awareness, advertising, correspondence and coordination of and between healthcare professionals, carer organisations and social services is necessary. A transformation from reactive responses to health change and health decline to a proactive approach with health checking and health protection and promotion needs to happen.