Adults with a Learning Disability JSNA (2025) - Publications

This JSNA considers multiple data sources to give an estimate of the population with a learning disability in Warwickshire. All these data sources have caveats but are likely to be under-representing the true prevalence of the number of people with a learning disability in Warwickshire.

Not all people with a learning disability are on a GP register. As a result of this, some of our population in Warwickshire may not be getting the support they are entitled to, such as annual health checks.

It is estimated that, by 2040, there will be an additional 1,500 people with a learning disability in Warwickshire, a total of 12,657 people in 2040 compared to 11,197 in 2024. These figures indicate that around 2.3% of the 18+ population have a learning disability.

There is an under-representation of people from a minority ethnic background accessing services and registered as having a learning disability on the GP register.

There is a disproportionately high representation of young men with a learning disability on both the GP register and accessing services for learning disabilities.

People with a learning disability experience health inequalities to a greater extent compared to those without a learning disability. This can be seen in a range of health conditions and risk factors compared to the population without a learning disability, including increased prevalence of:

• Obesity
• Smoking
• Diabetes
• Asthma
• Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)
• Epilepsy
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
• Musculoskeletal related conditions
• Mental health conditions
• Dementia

Life expectancy is lower for people with a learning disability. The median age of death for men and women was lower in populations with a learning disability with a ‘gap’ of 19 and 23 years respectively. Life expectancy is lower still where people with a learning disability are from a minority ethnic background or live in a deprived area. In 2021, the national Learning from Lives and Deaths (LeDeR) programme noted that people with a learning disability were ‘dying earlier than they should, many from things which could have been treated or prevented’.

Annual health checks (AHC) help people with a learning disability to stay well and mitigate against health inequalities. In 2023/24, Warwickshire achieved a 76% AHC uptake in its GP registered population aged 14 and over, in line with the local and national target of 75%. The quality and uptake of these should be supported, particularly the delivery of health action plans.

The leading cause of death among the population with a learning disability in Warwickshire whose death was reviewed as part of the LeDeR programme was respiratory conditions. In 2023-24, pneumonia (a respiratory infection that affects the lungs) was classified as a local priority for the Coventry and Warwickshire LeDeR programme.

Smoking is a major cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), one of the major respiratory diseases. As highlighted above, both smoking and COPD have an increased prevalence in adults with a learning disability.

Cardiovascular conditions were the most likely to be linked to avoidable deaths in adults with learning disabilities, followed by respiratory and cancer deaths. Cardiovascular diseases can be associated with some genetic causes of learning disability, for example, Down Syndrome. However, higher rates may also be explained by other risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease which are more likely in populations with a learning disability. This includes higher rates of obesity and diabetes as well as other lifestyle factors that contribute to a picture of poorer health in those with a learning disability.

Whilst Down syndrome itself is not a learning disability, a person with Down syndrome will have some degree of learning disability, with the level of need varying between individuals. There are conditions that people with Down Syndrome are more likely to experience than both people with a learning disability and those without a learning disability, particularly dementia.

The uptake of cancer screening (breast, cervical, and bowel) is lower in the population with a learning disability compared to the non-learning disability population.

People with a learning disability are identified as a key at-risk group eligible for certain vaccinations. In September 2024, all people with a learning disability are eligible for the pneumococcal vaccine. The uptake of flu vaccinations in adults with a learning disability is lower than the 75% target, especially in younger age groups.

There is a higher incidence of people with a learning disability dying in a hospital setting compared to the population without a learning disability.

Wider or social determinants of health (for example, housing, employment or transport) have a huge impact on people with a learning disability and they need to be considered and addressed to support reducing health inequalities for those with a learning disability and to improve quality of life for this group.

This JSNA mapped engagement recently undertaken with people with a learning disability in Warwickshire, findings of which have been fed into the scope of this document. This engagement highlighted things that are important to people with a learning disability locally, including:

• Having independence
• Having somewhere to go
• Being able to access activities
• Having accessible transport
• Having a good support worker
• Support transitioning between child and adult services
• Employment opportunities
• Having a choice of accommodation

Making reasonable adjustments can support people with a learning disability to access services, amenities and feel part of their community. Organisations need to consider how to make reasonable adjustments to fulfil their legal obligations under the Equality Act to help ensure people with a learning disability are not disadvantaged.

People with a learning disability were more likely to be living in more deprived areas; this was more marked as people age. Research nationally highlights that people with a learning disability from ethnic minority backgrounds face a shorter life expectancy than those from a white background. The average age of death for people with a learning disability from an ethnic minority is 34 years, just over half of the average age of death for people with a learning disability from a white background, which is 62.

People with a learning disability may experience difficulties securing the accommodation of their choice, especially if they have more complex care needs. Recent engagement in Warwickshire with people with a learning disability highlighted that being able to choose the right accommodation is important.

This includes:

• Having their own house, although this could be living with someone they know such as a friend;
• Living near friends and family;
• Living near green spaces;
• Living near amenities.

Recent engagement in Warwickshire with people with a learning disability highlighted that people wanted support to gain meaningful employment. Several barriers to this were identified including:

• Job application forms and processes can be complicated and can take a lot of time;
• Interviews can cause a lot of anxiety;
• There isn’t always transport to get to work;
• Some parts of jobs might be difficult. For example, if there’s too much reading or computer work;
• Colleagues may not understand an individuals’ disability(s) or needs;
• It can be difficult when there are a lot of day-to-day changes at work.