Community Care: Care Practice in the Community

Running head: COMMUNITY CARE
Degree Health & Social Care: Care Practice in the Community
Name of the Student
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COMMUNITY CARE
Introduction
According to the Mental Health, UK (2018), approximately 1.5 million people in the UK
suffers from learning disability. As per the estimation, in England, 20111,191,000 people live with
learning disability. Among this, 905,00 are adults who are aged over 18 years (375,00 women and
530,00 men). The Mental Health UK (2018) further reported that the people with learning disability
suffers from a comprehensive spectrum of the mental health problems with increase in the
prevalence of dementia among the older adults with learning disability. Mental Health UK (2018)
also stated that people with learning disability are more vulnerable to pass on to severe depression
and anxiety and has other challenging behaviours that create a barrier towards leading a healthy
social life. The people with learning disability (LD) thus require special attention and care in order to
improve their overall quality of life. The following assignment aims to analyze care practice in the
community addressing the people with learning disability. The assignment will highlight the
minimum care standards and the relevant care policies affecting the people with learning disability at
the time of healthcare delivery (mental and physical health). The assignment will also discuss
principles of practice to the provision of care in community level while describing the role of the
formal and informal carers in community care.
Demonstrating knowledge of the application of the minimum care standards and
relevant current policies impacting on a specific target group at the point of delivery
According to the legislation of the government of the UK, the National Care Standards
Commission published the Care Standard Act (2000). It was done in order to make provision for the
registration and regulation of the independent hospitals, children homes, independent clinics,
residential family centers, independent medical agencies, domiciliary care agencies, nurses’ agencies,
fostering agencies and voluntary adoption, proper regulation and inspection of the local authority. The
Care Standard Act (2004) also takes into account of the inspection of local authority fostering and
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COMMUNITY CARE
adopting the services and increasing the provision for training the social workers. According to the
Care Act 2014, it is the duty of the care and the support organisation to promote the individual well-
being while preventing needs for proper support and care via increasing the independence of
individuals. The Care Act 2014 also deals with promotion of the proper care, support and information
to the health-services (Legislation of the government of the UK 2015). According to NICE
guidelines, care for the people with learning disabilities should be close to home, this helps to increase
the support while increasing the overall quality of care and their daily health and well-being. The
minimum care standards also entails proper assessment of adults needs for care and support. Ross,
Tod and Clarke (2015) stated that person-centred care is an important aspect of delivering
interventions for the people with intellectual disability. It is the duty of the nursing professionals to
do a thorough assessment of the patient cultural, mental, spiritual, emotional well-being before the
procurement of care. In the context of the minimum care standards for the people with learning
disability, National Health Service and Community Care Act (NHSCCA) (1990) also holds prime
importance. As per the NHSCCA there must be a direct collaboration between the local
management, family and services authorities and primary and secondary care providers in order to
improve the provision of care.
However, application of the minimum care standard for the people with learning disability is
not comprehensive, keeping into consideration of their diverse needs and complications. Taking this
into consideration, the government of UK has come up with several new policies. The first policies
include, the people who are assigned for procure care for the people with learning disability must have
proper knowledge and training in community, primary and secondary care domain. Ross, Tod and
Clarke (2015) are of the opinion that a trained healthcare professionals are more equipped in
delivering person centred care approach. The Health Education England (HEE) is currently providing
online study material in order to increase the tier 1 learning disability awareness and training at the
community level. The government of the UK is also transforming the care via reducing the in-patient
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