ABSTRACT
People with learning disabilities should have the same rights to accessing healthcare as everyone else. They should be as involved in decisions about their care as much as possible. However, cognitive and communication disabilities can appear to create a barrier to this. For some people, their learning disabilities will be an invisible disability and may go unnoticed. For others, they may have physical characteristics or unusual behaviours that make their needs more visible. For practitioners who are not experienced in supporting people with learning disabilities it can be an intimidating experience. This chapter aims to explore some of the communication needs for people with learning disabilities and provides advice on strategies to help overcome these challenges.
