End of life care for people with a learning disability
To explore the experiences of learning disability and district nurses caring for people with a learning disability at the end of their lives.A small-scale semi-structured qualitative study involving interviews was carried out to explore the experiences of healthcare professionals from two specialist healthcare settings.Healthcare professionals felt that formal guidelines and support were needed in this complex area. The study also revealed that successful provision of palliative care for people with a learning disability requires a person-centred approach.Modifications to existing palliative care services, involving joint working, improved co-ordination and reasonable adjustments, is recommended. This aims to address any inequalities in care provision for people with a learning disability who are at the end of their lives.