Learning disability nurses work with people of all ages who are experiencing a range of difficulties in coping with aspects of every day life.

Nurses specialising in this area support clients by teaching them skills and giving them the confidence needed to be as independent as possible. They also support clients' families and carers.

The level of support provided will vary and may include assisting clients with:

• personal hygiene
• dressing
• using public transport
• going on shopping trips 
• attending appointments.

Nurses in this branch may also support clients in the work place, in education, and in the home, helping them bring up a family.

People with learning disabilities may have other problems such as physical disabilities, difficulties with speech, hearing or vision, or epilepsy. Learning disability nurses help to assess these problems and make sure the client gets the most appropriate treatment or therapy.

Many learning disability nurses will also be managers, supervising a team of support workers. Through their work they collaborate with a range of other health care professionals including doctors, physiotherapists and speech therapists, as well as social workers and teachers.

Hours and Environment

Nurses in the NHS work 37.5 hours a week, which can include evenings, weekends and night shifts. Many hospitals offer flexible hours of work. Some nurses work extra hours, either as overtime or for nursing agencies.

Learning disability nurses can work in hospitals, but more often they are based in clients’ homes, residential units, hostels, daycare centres, and mainstream or special schools.

Skills and Interests

To be a learning disability nurse you should:

• have patience and sensitivity
• have well developed and flexible communication skills
• be able to stay calm and in control in difficult situations
• be assertive - able to represent a client’s interests
• be adaptable, resourceful and self aware
• be able to recognise signs of physical or emotional problems.

Entry

To qualify as a registered nurse it is necessary to complete a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) approved degree or Diploma of Higher Education in Nursing, specialising in the learning disability branch. The NMC require all qualified nurses in the UK to join their register.

To gain entry onto an approved course you need to satisfy some general requirements. These include: 

• providing evidence of your literacy and numeracy, good health and good character, and recent successful study experience
• meeting the minimum age requirement for nurse training - 17.5 years old in England, 17 in Scotland, and 18 in Northern Ireland and Wales
• agreeing to undergo a criminal records bureau check; however, a criminal conviction does not automatically exclude you from working in the NHS.

Institutions offering approved nursing courses are entitled to set their own specific educational entry requirements. In addition, course providers for this branch are likely to you to have previous experience, paid or unpaid, of working with people who have a learning disability.

The academic entry requirements for a Nursing Diploma are likely to include five GCSEs (A-C)/S grades (1-3) preferably in English, maths and/or a science-based subject. In England applications for the diploma are made through NMAS; for all other regions check the contact listed in Further Information.

The academic entry requirements for a Nursing Degree will usually include the same GCSE/S grades and subjects as the diploma plus two or three A levels/H grades, possibly including a biological science. Applications for the degree are made through UCAS, see Further Information.

Alternative qualifications, such as an Access to Higher Education, may be accepted for entry onto diploma or degree programmes. Please check with colleges or universities for exact entry requirements.

Some institutions offer an NMC approved Advanced Diploma in Nursing. This qualification, and the entry requirements for it, lie between diploma and degree level.

Alternative entry routes:
If you are 16-19 years old you can prepare for a career in nursing by undertaking a two-year Cadet Scheme. On the scheme you will attend a range of clinical placements and work towards a qualification such as the NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care; this will often satisfy the academic requirements for a nursing diploma or degree. Entry criteria for the scheme will vary; ask your local hospital trust or NHS Careers for further details.

If you work in a relevant role, perhaps as a healthcare assistant or support worker, you may be able to study for an appropriate NVQ/SVQ at level 3; this will usually satisfy the entry requirements for a nursing diploma or degree course. Check the healthcare assistant job profile for more details.

An accelerated two year postgraduate course may be an option if you are a registered nurse in an alternative branch of nursing, or a graduate with a degree in a health-related subject. Check with individual institutions for entry details; applications are made through NMAS.

Since September 2005 all overseas nurses who have trained outside the UK and EEA, and wish to commence professional practice in the UK, will be required to undertake the NMC approved Overseas Nurses Programme (ONP). For more details contact the NMC; see Further Information.

Training

During nurse training you will divide your time between university or college, and supervised placements in local hospitals and the community. Courses usually consist of three years' full-time study (four years in Scotland).

The first year of an approved course follows the Common Foundation Programme. This will include:

• an introduction to all four branches of nurses and maternity care
• the development of observational, communication and caring skills
• the study of anatomy, physiology, psychology, sociology, ethics, social policy and core practical skills.

In the remaining two years you specialise in the learning disability branch of nursing and work in relevant clinical and community placements.

Funding is available for nurse training. Nursing diploma and degree courses attract a non-repayable bursary to cover living expenses; bursaries for a diploma are non-means tested; bursaries for the degree are means-tested. Course fees are also usually paid. For more details about student financial support, see NHS Careers in Further Information.

As a qualified nurse you need to renew your professional registration with the NMC every three years. In order to re-register you must complete a minimum of five days (35 hours) relevant learning within the previous three year period. This can be anything that has helped you maintain or develop your role within nursing. Check the NMC website for information on additional criteria and advice.

Former registered nurses wishing to return to the profession can take a return-to-practice course, available throughout the UK, consisting of a mixture of theory and practice. Contact NHS Careers for more details; see Further Information.

Opportunities

The NHS is the largest employer of nurses. Other employers include private hospitals, care homes and the prison service.

Learning disability nurses may choose to specialise in an area such as sensory disability, or they may manage a learning disability unit, become a team leader in a residential unit, or train for another branch of nursing - adult, child or mental health.

Promotion for registered nurses is usually to sister/ward manager/team leader, responsible for efficiently running a ward or team of nurses in the community, conducting appraisals and performance reviews.

Some nurses continue to develop in the management role and go on to become a matron or director of nursing. As an alternative, some nurses pursue a clinical specialism and move into nurse practitioner positions and ultimately become nurse consultants.

Nurse consultants spend at least half their time working directly and independently with patients. They carry out research in their area of expertise and create and deliver training. Consultants need to have at least a Masters degree; this reflects the fact they are working at the highest clinical level.

Annual Income

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

Newly qualified nurses working in the NHS earn between £19,200 and £24,800 a year.
Nurse specialists can earn up to around £31,000.
A small number of nurse consultants earn between £35,000 and £61,000.

Extra allowances may be paid to those living in or around London.

Further information

Rosehill
New Barn Lane
Cheltenham
Gloucestershire
GL52 3LZ
Tel: 0870 112 2206 for general enquiries
Tel: 0870 112 2200 for application packs Rosehill
New Barn Lane
Cheltenham
Gloucestershire
GL52 3LZ
Tel: 0870 1122 211 School of Nursing and Midwifery
Medical Biology Centre
97 Lisburn Road
Belfast
BT9 7BL
Tel: 028 9097 2233 School of Nursing
Shore Road
Newtownabbey
Co Antrim
BT37 0QB
Tel: 08700 400 700 23 Portland Place
London
W1B 1PZ
Tel: 020 7637 7181
Registration contacts
Overseas: 020 7333 6600
General: 020 7333 9333 Tel: 08000 150 850
Email: learning@nhscareers.nhs.uk PO Box 376
Bristol
BS99 3EY
Tel: 0845 606 0655 22 Queen Street
Edinburgh
EH2 1JX
Tel: 0131 226 7371 Innovation House
Bridgend Road
Llanharan
CF72 9RP
Tel: 01443 233 333