Theatre events put the spotlight on healthcare for people with learning disabilities

People with learning disabilities are being offered the chance to help doctors understand how best to treat and care for them through a new General Medical Council project.

The GMC invited an audience of people with learning disabilities, carers and doctors to specially commissioned interactive theatre performances to stimulate the debate on how to improve treatment of patients with learning disabilities.

Information gained from the theatre events is enabling the GMC to develop new online guidance for use by doctors.

The GMC initiative follows the results of a recent Mencap survey which showed nearly half of doctors say people with learning disabilities receive poorer healthcare (1).

The specially commissioned short play follows the frustrating experiences of Marie, a woman with learning disabilities who is trying to seek treatment for feelings of nausea. The audience's job was to discuss the issues raised and to direct the actors on stage to try to achieve the best outcome for Marie.

The role of Marie is played by Sarah Gordy, a professional actor who has Down's syndrome and who is shortly to star in a new BBC production of Upstairs Downstairs.

Performances took place in London, Newcastle, Cardiff, Glasgow and Belfast.

The GMC is using feedback from the theatre events to inform the development of the resource for doctors, so clinicians can learn from people with learning disabilities and from fellow doctors about what works best. Video footage from the play will form part of the website.

Niall Dickson, Chief Executive, said:

"Treating patients with learning disabilities can be challenging. Patients and their carers often find the experience frustrating. We want to provide doctors with practical help on how they can improve the treatment and care of patients with learning disabilities.  We really want to hear from them on what works best."

David Congdon, Mencap's Head of Campaigns and Policy, added:

"Mencap welcomes this innovative project which asks doctors to consider how they treat and communicate with patients with a learning disability. This performance, and the planned online resource, should help to challenge doctors' preconceptions and build on the real life experiences of patients with a learning disability, who are still not getting equal treatment when they go to see their doctor."

The e-learning resource, which will be the GMC's biggest ever interactive training venture, will launch early next year. It will follow the success of Good Medical Practice In Action, which helps doctors interpret GMC guidance in real-life situations, and was recently commended at the Charity Times awards as well as being shortlisted for a UK IT industry award.

To be kept up-to-date with news from the project or for more information, please contact standards@gmc-uk.org