About the standards
The improvement standards were launched in 2018 by NHS Improvement to ensure the provision of high-quality, personalised and safe care from the NHS for people with learning disabilities and autistic people across England. These standards were designed together with people with learning disabilities, autistic people, family members, carers and health professionals, to drive rapid and substantial improvements to patient experiences and equity of care.
The NHS Long Term Plan, published in 2019, pledged that over the next five years the national learning disability improvement standards would be implemented by all services funded by the NHS, to ensure people with learning disabilities and/or autistic people can receive high-quality, personalised and safe care when they use the NHS.
950,000
adults with learning disabilities (estimated)
300,000
children with learning disabilities (estimated)
440,000
autistic adults (estimated)
120,000
autistic children (estimated)
Estimates for England, as given when the standards were launched in 2018.
The four improvement standards
Trust performance is measured against four standards. Each has a set of improvement measures that trusts are expected to adopt.
Universal Standard 1
Respecting and protecting rights
The first three universal standards apply to all NHS trusts. The fourth, specialist standard applies specifically to trusts that provide services commissioned exclusively for people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.
A trust's compliance with these standards demonstrates it has the right structures, processes, workforce and skills to deliver the outcomes that people with a learning disability, autistic people, their families and carers expect and deserve, as well as commitment to sustainable quality improvement in the services and pathways for this group. Trusts can publish details of their performance against these standards in their annual quality accounts and demonstrate a sustainable improvement in their quality of services.
Universal standard 2
Inclusion and engagement
Universal standard 3
Workforce
Specialist standard
Specialist learning disability services
Sources of data
LDIS collects data from six sources
1.
Organisational-level survey
Submitted online through the NHS Benchmarking Network Members' Area by a nominated project lead and other nominated staff. The questions collate
data on policies and protocols within organisations' activity, workforce and service quality.
2.
Staff survey
Allows staff to give their views anonymously on their trust and the delivery of care to patients with a learning disability and/or autistic patients. Trusts
across England are provided with a unique link to share with staff who have provided this care. The survey is hosted by the NHS Benchmarking Network and consists of a series of multiple-choice questions.
3.
Regional patient focus groups
Facilitated by Learning Disability England, with seven groups taking place regionally across England. Further information will be available soon.
4.
Patient survey
An online survey capturing perceptions of the quality of care and overall experience of services for people with a learning disability. It is completed by people with a learning disability aged over 18 who accessed care in the last year, and can be accessed via a link or QR code and completed with the help of a family
member or carer.
5.
Family/carer survey
An online survey capturing family and carer perceptions of the quality of care and overall experience of NHS services for people with a learning disability. It is completed by a family member or carer
of someone with a learning disability who accessed care in the last year, and can be accessed via a link or QR code.
6.
Case note review (pilot)
Participating trusts review 5 to 10 clinical case notes of patients with a learning disability seen during the last year. It complements the organisational-level
and staff surveys by showing how care is delivered in practice, supporting triangulation across sources to identify variation, gaps in reasonable adjustments
and examples of good care. Findings inform learning and quality improvement.