The contribution of intellectual disabilities nurses

Abstract

Approximately 1.5 million people (2.16% of adults and 2.5% of children) in the UK, are identified as having an intellectual disability (ID) (Mencap, 2020). Despite avoidable disparities in health between people with IDs and the general population (Kerr, 2004; van Schrojenstein Lantman-de Val et al, 2007), their life expectancy is increasing, along with the complexity of their health and social care needs (Truesdale and Brown, 2017). Health inequalities can be reduced through better access to health services and appropriate intellectual disability nursing interventions. However, there is a wide variety of roles and expectations for ID nurses in the UK and Ireland, and the range of nursing skills used in this field has not been clearly identified.