Oliver McGowan training on Learning Disability and Autism

The new Oliver McGowan training on Learning Disability and Autism is being rolled out across health and social care in Hertfordshire and west Essex. The Integrated Care Board (ICB) is working with teams across the system to evaluate how local initiatives, such as the Purple Star accreditation may fit within the new requirements.

You can learn more about Oliver’s story here and watch a video from Paula McGowan here. More information about the model of delivery is outlined in the download below:

Focusing on the training needs for health and care staff

As well as what happened to Oliver, research has highlighted health inequalities for those with a learning disability and autistic people, specifically around the quality of care received. The Health and Care Act 2022 introduced a requirement for CQC registered services to ensure employees receive learning disability and autism training appropriate to their role. Although not mandatory itself, the Oliver McGowan Training on Learning Disability and Autism is the government recommended, standardised training. A code of practice is expected to be released in autumn this year, which will detail the specific requirements of the learning disability and autism training required.

Please continue to engage with local learning disability and autism training and check this page for regular updates.

Primary Care FAQs

Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training FAQ for employers

1)     What is the Oliver McGowan Mandatory training?

The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism is the government’s preferred training. It is in line with a requirement for CQC-regulated organisations to ensure staff receive training relevant to their role. The training is broken down into two tiers, as the diagram shows.

2)      What does The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism cover? 

The content has been developed with reference to tier 1 and tier 2 capabilities contained within the Core Capabilities Framework for Supporting People with a Learning Disability and the Core Capabilities Framework for Supporting Autistic People. 

Both frameworks are nationally recognised and provide a focus on the skills, knowledge and behaviours expected for staff offering services to autistic people and people with a learning disability. 

Staff who require a general awareness of the support for autistic people or people with a learning disability need to cover all of the tier 1 capabilities in the frameworks. Tier 1 of The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism covers all the Core Capabilities Frameworks’ tier 1 capabilities.  

Staff who provide care, support or healthcare, including social care and other professionals with a high degree of autonomy, are expected to complete the tier 2 of The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training which includes content on:    

- avoiding diagnostic overshadowing 

- frequently co-occurring conditions (co-morbidities)  

- the laws: Mental Capacity Act, Human Rights Act, Autism Act 

- reasonable adjustments including Hospital Passports

- culture (professional bias and subconscious beliefs); professional behaviour and impact on outcomes and other people's behaviour 

- how to communicate in accessible ways 

- how to understand what the person (and their family) is saying 

- ‘Ask Listen Do’  

- learning from Lives and Deaths of people with a Learning Disability and autistic people (LeDeR)

- annual health checks.

Depending on their role, staff may need to develop more capabilities, in addition to those covered in the tier 2 package. Employers must determine these and put in place the appropriate provisions.  

Employers should refer to the frameworks to ensure their staff have the capabilities they need for their roles. 

3)     Is the Oliver McGowan training mandatory?

No but there is a requirement under the Health and Care Act 2022 that all CQC-regulated organisations ensure their staff have training on Learning Disability and Autism appropriate to their role. The Secretary of State for Health will publish a Code of Practice detailing the requirements later this year.

The Oliver McGowan mandatory training on learning disability and autism is the government’s preferred and recommended training for health and social care staff. It has been co-produced and will be co-delivered by experts with lived experience. Within Hertfordshire and west Essex we are supporting organisations to deliver this training.

4)     What are the next steps for Primary Care providers?

We are working closely with systems partners to look at how current initiatives, such as the Purple Star, may fit the new requirements, therefore please continue to engage with these programmes.

If an organisation currently doesn’t engage in any learning disability and autism training, they should be considering and planning how they might ensure the organisation is compliant with the new regulations under the Health and Care Act.

If the organisation chooses to roll out the Oliver McGowan training, they should promote the e-learning for all staff to complete and look out for further updates from HCPA.