Cancer screening for people with learning disabilities and the role of the screening liaison nurse
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to describe the role of the screening liaison nurses for adults with learning disabilities employed by Peninsula Community Health.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper reports on the national situation in regard to cancer screening for people with learning disabilities and explores the barriers which limit their participation in these screening programmes. It describes the screening liaison nurse role and presents case examples of the work they do.
Findings
The local screening rates for people with learning disabilities have increased since the creation of this role in 2011.
Originality/value
Increasing the uptake of cancer screening by people with learning disabilities is clearly in line with existing national priorities. To the author’s knowledge this is a unique role in this country and the authors propose that other areas would benefit from adopting this model of working.
Keywords
Citation
Marriott, A., Turner, S., Ashby, S. and Rees, D. (2015), "Cancer screening for people with learning disabilities and the role of the screening liaison nurse", Tizard Learning Disability Review, Vol. 20 No. 4, pp. 239-246. https://doi.org/10.1108/TLDR-07-2015-0027
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited