How special interest groups can support safe sexual well-being in adults with learning disabilities
Intended for healthcare professionals
Evidence and practice    

How special interest groups can support safe sexual well-being in adults with learning disabilities

Felicity Watkin @CombinedNHS Assistant psychologist, North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust, Stoke-on-Trent, England
Philip Emery Community nurse, North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust, Stoke-on-Trent, England
Matthew Doughty Occupational therapist, North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust, Stoke-on-Trent, England

Why you should read this article:
  • To familiarise yourself with the role of special interest groups (SIGs)

  • To realise the potential of collaborative working

  • To understand how SIGs can support safe sexual practices in people with a learning disability

Special interest groups (SIGs) create a shared space in which healthcare professionals can network and collaborate on topics of mutual interest. These groups support the development of multiprofessional expertise and knowledge sharing by providing a forum in which healthcare professionals can hold collaborative discussions on methods that will improve practice and care quality, and how to translate these into practice. Research shows that people with learning disabilities are more at risk of sexual abuse or exploitation, therefore they require support in areas such as relationship safety, emotional and sexual well-being, and sexual rights. This article describes how the North Staffordshire community learning disability team developed a SIG to support and promote safe sexual well-being for adults with learning disabilities and explains how the forum benefits staff, the organisation and service users.

Learning Disability Practice. 23, 5, 24-28. doi: 10.7748/ldp.2020.e2085

Correspondence

felicity.watkin@combined.nhs.uk

Peer review

This article has been subject to external double-blind peer review and has been checked for plagiarism using automated software

Conflict of interest

None declared

Permission

To reuse this article or for information about reprints and permissions, please contact permissions@rcni.com

Write for us

For information about writing for RCNi journals, contact writeforus@rcni.com

For author guidelines, go to rcni.com/writeforus

Want to read more?

RCNi-Plus
Already have access? Log in

or

3-month trial offer for £5.25/month

Subscribe today and save 50% on your first three months
RCNi Plus users have full access to the following benefits:
  • Unlimited access to all 10 RCNi Journals
  • RCNi Learning featuring over 175 modules to easily earn CPD time
  • NMC-compliant RCNi Revalidation Portfolio to stay on track with your progress
  • Personalised newsletters tailored to your interests
  • A customisable dashboard with over 200 topics
Subscribe

Alternatively, you can purchase access to this article for the next seven days. Buy now


Are you a student? Our student subscription has content especially for you.
Find out more