Learning Disability and Autism Awareness Course Tier 2 LD0226SS

Learning Disability & Autism Awareness (Tier 2)

This eLearning course is designed for UK healthcare professionals who assess, treat, and support patients with learning disabilities and/or autism in clinical practice.

The training focuses on safe,  person-centred care, with clear guidance on reasonable adjustments, communication strategies, capacity and consent, and reducing avoidable harm—aligned with national expectations including the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training framework. This is not the Oliver McGowan course.

Who should attend

• GPs, ANPs/ACPs, nurses, HCAs

• Pharmacists and prescribing clinicians

• Urgent care / OOH / ED clinicians

• Community and care-home clinicians

• AHPs and clinical students

Why this course matters

Autistic people and people with learning disabilities can experience barriers to healthcare access—often driven by systems that aren’t designed around differing communication and sensory needs. This course supports clinicians to deliver reasonable, practical adjustments that improve safety, outcomes and patient experience.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, learners will be able to:

• Describe learning disability and autism and how needs may present in healthcare

• Implement reasonable adjustments confidently in clinics and consultations

• Communicate effectively using accessible, patient-led approaches

• Apply capacity and consent principles appropriately in real clinical scenarios

• Recognise and reduce diagnostic overshadowing and avoidable harm

• Record and share adjustments using best practice (including the Reasonable Adjustment Flag)

• Identify safeguarding risks and escalate appropriately

Course structure

Self-paced eLearning with interactive knowledge checks:

1. Definitions and key concepts: learning disability vs learning difficulty; autism overview

2. Health inequalities and preventable harm

3. Legal and professional duties (Equality Act, capacity/consent principles)

4. Reasonable adjustments in practice (environment, process, communication)

5. Sensory-aware consultations and practical communication tools

6. Diagnostic overshadowing and clinical risk

7. Primary care priorities (planning, follow-up, referrals, accessible information)

8. Safeguarding and working with carers/advocates

9. Case-based scenarios + MCQs

10. Implementation checklist for everyday practice

Assessment and certificate

• End-of-course MCQs

• Downloadable certificate of completion (CPD evidence)

Alignment to UK guidance and expectations

This course reflects key UK sources including:

• Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training expectations (Tier 2 relevance)

• NHS England reasonable adjustments guidance

• NHS Digital Reasonable Adjustment Flag

• NICE Autism in adults: CG142 (current status + surveillance)

FAQs

Is this course suitable for primary care?
Yes—built around consultations, communication, risk, and reasonable adjustments in everyday clinical practice.

Is this the Oliver McGowan training?
It is aligned to national expectations and supports practice improvement; many organisations commission the formal Oliver McGowan package for mandated compliance pathways.

Will I get a certificate?
Yes—certificate provided on completion of the assessment.