OMMT evaluation
NIHR206598: The Content Study: A Mixed Methods Study to Evaluate the Implementation and Impact of the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism
Aim(s) of the research
People with learning disability and autistic people often have poorer health and die earlier. They may find it hard to visit health and social care staff, and may struggle to both understand them and be understood when they do.
The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on learning disability and autism was made to help care staff better help these people. We plan to find out more about this training, including how it is being given and how it affects different groups.
Background to the research
Five care service regions in England will take part. We shall interview twenty-five care region leaders about the training, including how many staff have done it, and how it is being given. We will survey 1,668 health and social care staff, 246 people with learning disability, and autistic people and their carers about the training. This is to find out if the training is helping people with learning disability and autistic people, and how the training affects different groups, such as people of different ages, sexes, genders, and ethnic groups, incomes, and regions. We shall also look at survey findings of general practice experiences of people with learning disability and autistic people, to see how these change over time, and across different regions.
Fifteen of the surveyed staff will be interviewed, and ten will be asked to keep a diary about their thoughts and experiences. Fifteen surveyed people with learning disability, autistic people, and their carers will also be interviewed, and fifteen others who deliver the training. Fifteen people who have designed similar training in the past will be interviewed and asked to give their views on the training.
We will look at where people have died, other events where things have gone wrong, and complaints about the care of people with learning disability and autistic people. This is to see how these findings are linked to staff doing the training, and what they say about it.
Patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE)
People with learning disability, autistic people and carers will help with all parts of our study, including as a twelve-person group in our project team. We shall involve them in all big decisions. They will meet with experts by experience at care board sites, review findings, and help write the report. We also plan to work with groups who are experts in staff training and empathy.
Dissemination
Standard and easy-read reports of our findings will be made with people with learning disability, autistic people, and their carers. The reports will be clear about what we find, say what about the training people find helpful, and what can be improved. Our findings will be shared with people with learning disability, autistic people, carers, care staff, researchers, policy makers, and the government.