Learning Disability Week

The 14-20 June is Learning Disability Week 2021.

To mark this, College President Dr Adrian James and Chair, Faculty of Psychiatry of Intellectual Disability Dr Ken Courtenay, have issued a joint statement to members that highlights the health inequalities faced by people with intellectual disabilities (ID).

The statement also looks at how psychiatrists can help support people with ID.

President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, Dr Adrian James has said:

“People with intellectual disabilities present as patients in all mental health services and it's vital that we as clinicians understand the experience of a person with intellectual disabilities and how they communicate their difficulties.

This joint statement is vital reading for all psychiatrists and encourages us to look at how a person with an intellectual disability could be prevented from getting the best from their mental health service. We should always seek to support and empower people with intellectual disabilities and informing ourselves as clinicians is the first step to achieving that.”

Read the joint statement Psychiatrists and People with Intellectual Disabilities.

Loneliness Awareness Week

It will also be Loneliness Awareness Week next week and the College will be marking it on social media.

Look out for our social media posts on #LetsTalkLoneliness.

Back to 10 June 2021 Members' update.