Overview

This bill mandates specialist training on learning disabilities and autism for all health and social care staff in England who undertake regulated activities. It also requires the Secretary of State to publish a code of practice outlining the specifics of this training.

Description

The bill amends the Health and Social Care Act 2008, requiring all relevant staff to receive specialist, in-person training on learning disabilities and autism. This training must be appropriate to their roles and as defined by a code of practice created by the Secretary of State.

Code of Practice

The Secretary of State must create and publish a code of practice covering the content, levels, co-delivery, accreditation, procurement, monitoring, evaluation, and implementation of the training. The code must incorporate existing frameworks for learning disability and autism training and relevant national strategies, undergoing parliamentary approval and a three-yearly review.

Definitions

The bill defines key terms such as "learning disability," "autism," "in person," and "specialist training," specifying that the latter includes involvement of individuals with lived experience of learning disabilities or autism and their families, and that training must be accredited.

Implementation

Sections 1 and 3 of the Act will come into effect 18 months after passage, while Section 2 (relating to the code of practice) will come into force after six months.

Government Spending

The bill doesn't specify a direct cost figure. However, it will likely involve significant government spending on developing and implementing the code of practice, supporting training initiatives, and potentially auditing compliance. The actual cost will depend on the details of the training program and its nationwide rollout.

Groups Affected

The bill will directly impact:

• Health and social care staff in England: They will be required to undertake mandatory training, potentially affecting their workload and requiring additional time commitments.
• Individuals with learning disabilities and autism: The bill aims to improve the quality of care they receive by ensuring staff have adequate training.
• Training providers: They may experience increased demand for their services and will need to adapt to meet the requirements outlined in the code of practice.
• Government bodies: They will be responsible for developing, implementing, and overseeing the code of practice and the resulting training program.

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