A new law has been passed following a lengthy campaign in memory of a Bristol teenager who died at Southmead Hospital. The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training in Learning Disability and Autism (OMMT) has officially passed into law as part of the Health and Care Act 2022.
This comes after government support to legislate training across the health and care sectors to provide better care for people with learning disabilities and autism.
In March this year, Baroness Sheila Hollins put forward the amendment to the Health and Care Bill in the House of Lords which was well-received by Peers and the government, according to Care Talk Business.
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Paula McGowan, OBE, and Tom McGowan, Oliver’s parents, said: “It is hugely significant that Oliver’s training is now mandated in law, ready to be rolled out from 2023 to 3.7 million staff working across health and social care settings.
"We would like to thank Baroness Hollins and the Government for working together to deliver the commitment made in the 2019 consultation ‘Right to be Heard’ to make Oliver’s training mandatory.
"This training will save lives and ensure Oliver’s legacy lives on in the delivery of better health and care services for millions of autistic people and people with a learning disability.”
Baroness Hollins said: “I am pleased to have worked with the government to deliver on the face of the Health and Care Act this vital requirement. That we will also have a Code of Practice on implementation of Oliver’s training is very welcome, supporting health and social care employers to understand the training that needs to be delivered for their staff and the outcomes that must be achieved.”
OMMT is named after 18-year-old Oliver McGowan, whose tragic death highlighted the need for health and social care staff to have better training and understanding of learning disabilities and autism.
It is the result of hours of campaigning, especially from Oliver’s parent, who have been at the forefront of calls for better understanding and training since the teenager died in Southmead Hospital in 2016.
Gloucestershire Health and Care formed one of four national partners appointed to co-design and co-deliver the training as part of a national trial to develop a standardised training package.
A statement on its website reads: "This training will make a huge difference to people with a learning disability and autistic people with or without a learning disability, in accessing the help they need from the NHS and social care in a way that meets their needs effectively."
Edel Harris OBE, chief executive of Royal Mencap Society said: “Mencap is proud to have been part of the trials of the future mandatory training over the last two years, working with Health Education England.
"At least 1,200 people with a learning disability die avoidably each year, and behind every death is a family like Oliver’s. Mencap is proud to stand beside Oliver’s parents who have campaigned tirelessly for better health outcomes for a group that is too often forgotten.
"We will continue to do everything we can to support colleagues across government, the NHS and social care sectors with the successful national rollout of this vital training, which will ultimately save lives.”
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