Developing a research and education programme to enhance the lives of people with learning disabilities

People with learning disabilities experience significant health inequalities, leading to reduced life expectancy and poorer health-related quality of life outcomes. The RCN Foundation, an independent charity supporting nursing and midwifery, has launched the Inclusive Health programme to address these disparities. This initiative supports learning disability nursing through research, education and advanced practice scholarships. The programme includes nine research projects, focusing on workforce challenges, access to healthcare, the effect of annual health checks and the role of learning disability nurses in social care. Co-production is central, ensuring people with lived experience of learning disabilities contribute to shaping initiatives. This article explores the literature on health inequalities, the declining learning disability nursing workforce and the importance of evidence-based, person-centred care. It also outlines the RCN Foundation’s commitment to reducing health disparities through research, innovation and education, ultimately aiming to improve health-related quality of life outcomes for people with learning disabilities across the UK.