Department of Health and Social Care issues code of practice on standards of training on learning disability and autism

The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism is named after a teenager who died in 2016 after having a severe reaction to medication given to him against his family’s wishes.

The DHSC said: “Those with a learning disability or autistic people face poorer health outcomes than the general population, and it is crucial that health and social care staff have the right knowledge and skills to tackle these inequalities.”

The training will be backed by funding as part of the Learning and Development Support Scheme for adult social care in Autumn 2025.

Any adult social care providers who arrange for training for their staff between April 2025 and March 2026 will be reimbursed for the costs, the DHSC said.