Publish date: 23 December 2022

Nursing Times magazine has interviewed the Ealing community team for people with learning disabilities about their vaccination programme.

The team has been very successful in boosting the vaccination rates of people with learning disabilities in the area, through their 'desensitisation' programme.

Covid-19 remains one of the most common causes of death for people with learning disabilities as they're twice as likely to die form the virsu than the general population.

So far, a total of 54 people with learning disabilities have been referred to the team for support to receive the vaccine.Out of those 54 people, 35 have been selected for the 'desensitisation' process. This is the name given to the programme of support our nurses provide prior to offering a vaccination.

It usually involves familiarising the patient with the process of vaccination, the equipment, getting them used to new people and lowering their level of anxiety.

Of those 35 people, 20 have been vaccinated and discharged with all of the patients receiving their primary dose, meanwhile, 95% have received their second and 45% have received their booster.

Nursing Times spoke to Abigail Hulme, community matron at Ealing Community Partners, a coalition of organisations in Ealing led by West London NHS Trust.

She explained that the service was launched when they realised that the mainstream services were struggling to vaccinate people with learning disabilities, leaving them vulnerable to the virus.

Nursing Times also interviewed Marie Houston, a senior learning disability nurse, who has been going out and vaccinating patients.

She explained the team has had to “think outside the box" and on some occasions had to wear the same clothes and colours during each visit as some of her patients have autism and routine helps them feel more comfortable.

Due to its success to date, the team is now looking to expand the programme.

You can read the full interview on the Nursing Times website.