Overview

This bill mandates specialist training on learning disabilities and autism for all health and social care staff in England who undertake regulated activities. The training must be in-person, co-produced and co-delivered by people with lived experience, and a code of practice will be created to guide its implementation.

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 role" as defined in a government-issued code of practice.

Code of Practice

The Secretary of State will create and publish this code, which will cover training content, appropriate levels for different roles, co-delivery methods, accreditation processes, procurement, monitoring, and implementation across providers. The code must incorporate existing frameworks like the Learning Disability Core Skills Education and Training Framework and the Core Capabilities Framework for Supporting Autistic People. Parliament must approve any draft code before publication. The code will be reviewed every three years.

Definitions

The bill defines key terms such as "specialist training," "learning disability," and "autism," emphasizing the involvement of individuals with lived experience in the training’s design and delivery. "In-person" training is specifically mandated, excluding online or digital methods.

Implementation

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

Government Spending

The bill does not specify a direct cost. However, implementation will require government expenditure to develop, publish, and monitor the code of practice, as well as potential funding for training provision and oversight.

Groups Affected

• Health and social care staff in England: Required to undertake mandatory training, potentially impacting workload and requiring time investment.
• People with learning disabilities and autism: Potentially benefit from improved care and understanding from trained professionals.
• Families of people with learning disabilities and autism: May see improvements in the care and support received by their loved ones.
• Training providers: May see increased demand for training services.

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