Learning Disability Week 2025: Shining a light on specialist support in Barnet

This week marks Learning Disability Week 2025 (LDW25) – a time to celebrate the achievements and contributions of people with learning disabilities, while also raising awareness about the challenges they face. These national awareness weeks are important for promoting inclusion, breaking down stigma, and highlighting the importance of making services more accessible for everyone.

The Trust is proud to support people with learning disabilities through a range of services across London and Herts. To celebrate LDW25 , we’re spotlighting our Barnet Learning Disabilities Health Team — a group of dedicated clinicians providing specialist health support to adults with learning disabilities in the borough.

The Barnet Learning Disabilities Health Team, part of the Integrated Health and Social Care Learning Disabilities Services, is hosted by the London Borough of Barnet (LBB). The team includes learning disabilities nurses, speech and language therapists, and physiotherapists, working together to provide specialist care to adults who have complex needs.

What we do:

• Nursing: Our learning disability nurses work closely with individuals and their families to support physical and mental health. We help people to stay healthy, feel empowered, and live more independently. We also support other health services to make reasonable adjustments so care is accessible and inclusive.

• Speech and Language Therapy: We support people who have difficulties with communication and swallowing. Whether someone needs help expressing themselves or staying safe while eating and drinking, our therapists work with them and those around them to improve quality of life and independence.

• Physiotherapy: Our physios help people move better, feel stronger, and stay mobile. We provide personalised exercises, seating support, and mobility aids — all aimed at helping individuals stay active and involved in their communities.

The team also works in partnership with families, carers and other professionals to make sure care is joined-up, consistent and person-centred.

Eric Moor, Community Learning Disability Nurse said " As a Learning Disability Nurse for Barnet, I would like to take this opportunity to reflect on inclusive practice as we support individuals with LD in the community.

"According to Diane Richler, “Inclusion is not a strategy to help people fit into a system and structure which exist in our societies; rather, it is about transforming systems and structures to make it better for everyone”.

"This quote challenges us to think differently about our role as learning disability nurses. Rather than focusing solely on helping individuals adapt to existing services, we're called to be agents of change who advocate for systems that work for everyone from the start."

A service user who wished to remain anonymous said "The whole Learning team has  helped me a lot, they have shown me the light.

"My learning disability nurse has helped  me with my health and supported me to get a new GP who listen to my needs. My nurse has done so much for me, I find it difficult to put into words.

"She has given me the confidence to be independent and is always being available for me. She  makes me feel calm and gives me loads encouragement.

"She has not only supported me, but she has also been able to support my children.”

Arun Somanadhan, Senior Learning Disability Physiotherapist said "As a Learning Disability Physiotherapist, I work with clients who often have multiple and complex needs, including physical, cognitive, and functional challenges.

"One of the major difficulties in this field is that the presentation of symptoms is rarely straightforward — clients may have a range of overlapping issues, making it challenging to identify the root cause and determine the most effective treatment.

"There is no one-size-fits-all approach; each individual presents with unique needs, and treatment plans must be highly personalized. This complexity can be demanding but also makes the work deeply challenging."

This Learning Disability Week, we are proud to highlight the compassion, commitment, and impact of our Learning Disability Health teams across the Trust. Thank you to all the clinicians for the incredible work you do to support people with learning disabilities to live healthier, happier lives.