Hartlepool Borough Council has thrown its weight behind an urgent campaign to protect and maintain Learning Disability Nursing, saying it will fight to keep the critically at-risk profession alive.
A coalition of leading health and disability organisations led by learning disability charity Mencap and including the Royal College of Nursing has written to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care the Rt Hon Wes Streeting MP warning of the “imminent collapse” of the Learning Disability (LD) Nursing profession.
It says the number of Registered LD Nurses in England has declined by a shocking 43% since 2009, with projections indicating that the domestic supply of newly-qualified LD nurses could end by as early as 2028 if urgent action is not taken.
LD Nurses are essential in addressing severe health inequalities – the recent national Learning from Lives and Deaths Review highlighted that people with a learning disability die on average 20 years earlier than the general population and are twice as likely to die avoidably.
The coalition letter highlights the alarming rate of closures at academic institutions, which is leaving entire regions without localised training programmes for future LD Nurses, and calls on the Government to recommit to funding the training targets outlined in the 2023 NHS Workforce Plan, guarantee financial support for students and employers and introduce minimum levels to safeguard patient lives.
A meeting of the Full Council unanimously approved a motion put forward by Councillor Gary Allen, Chair of the Council’s Adult Services and Public Health Committee, who is himself an LD Nurse, to support the campaign by:
- writing to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, the Chief Nursing Officer for England and the Chief Executive of the North East and Cumbria Integrated Care Board, endorsing the demands of the Mencap-led coalition and urging them to enact the proposed ‘rescue plan’ for the profession.
- using its resources to promote the work of Learning Disability Nursing in our community and highlight the benefits of this as a profession, as well as highlighting the importance of LD Nursing in combatting the stark inequalities faced by people with a learning disability.
- using all possible influence to encourage Teesside University to continue its pre-registration LD Nursing Degree route and ensure that the relevant NHS Trust has a robust plan to ensure the supply of LD Nurses in our area for the future.
Councillor Allen said: “This is about protecting a profession that saves lives. It’s about standing up for people who can’t always stand up for themselves.
“This isn’t just about the NHS. LD Nurses are everywhere – in social care, education and the community. Here in Hartlepool, Adult Social Care supports around 350 people with learning disabilities, most living in the community, and nearly 100 unpaid carers.
“If the LD Nursing profession collapses, the impact on Hartlepool will be catastrophic. The most vulnerable people in our town will suffer the most.
“This motion sends a clear message – Hartlepool values Learning Disability Nurses and we will fight to keep this vital role alive.”
Councillor Pamela Hargreaves, Leader of the Council, said: “As a Council we are absolutely committed to protecting our most vulnerable residents and tackling health inequalities.
“This crisis in Learning Disability Nursing is a real threat to the health and human rights of our residents with a learning disability.
“The Full Council wholeheartedly approved the motion – the skills provided by LD Nurses are critical and irreplaceable and we will fight to maintain the profession in Hartlepool.”