Lack of learning disability nurses as numbers fall

A university says it is struggling to recruit student nurses specialising in learning disabilities and the situation has been "challenging nationally for a number of years".

The University of the West of England (UWE) has temporarily paused recruitment to its Nursing (Learning Disabilities) degree.

Programme lead and senior lecturer Craig Boothroyd said a key aspect was that many prospective students were unaware the specialism existed as a distinct field of nursing.

Jonathan Beebee, a registered learning disability nurse, said the need for the role was increasing and there was an urgent need to make the specialism "a lot clearer and more visible" especially to those who had never heard of it.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said the number of learning disability nurses employed by NHS England fell from about 5,553 in 2009 to just over 3,095 by 2024, a reduction of about 44%.

The specialism now accounts for just 2% of all nursing students nationally, according to UCAS and the RCN.

One parent who has experienced first-hand the unique skills offered by learning disability nurses is Jayne Benison-Smith, from Trowbridge in Wiltshire.

Her son Kale was 14 when he sustained a severe brain injury after a bleed prior to surgery for a brain tumour in 2018.

Now 22, Kale is a student at the National Star College, near Cheltenham in Gloucestershire.

Benison-Smith says her son's relationship with the nursing staff has had a "hugely positive impact" on him.

"Knowing that his health needs are met by the specially-trained nurses but also that they are able to support all his additional needs from a communication perspective has been absolutely fantastic," she said.

Ashleigh Fox, a learning disability nurse in Bristol, said more needed to be done to increase awareness of the role which involves "identifying the barriers people might be facing out in the community".

She said: "You can have an impact from a clinical perspective but you can also have an impact from a social perspective.

"You can challenge injustice, think creatively and genuinely change people's lives."

Fox, who said she felt "incredibly privileged" to have her job, stressed learning disability nurses should have an input into the Casey Commission - established by the government in 2025 and tasked with reforming adult social care.

Talking about the growing need for more learning disability nurses, Beebee said: "We're seeing more use of these nurses in mainstream healthcare, general hospitals and GP practices but there's still a need for them in community teams and children's services as we see a greater awareness of autism, neurodivergence and ADHD."

He has called for the Nursing and Midwifery Council to undertake a review of the specialism due to declining numbers and to protect it as "a distinct field of nursing expertise".

Boothroyd said learning disability nursing was "unsung and under-appreciated" and recruitment challenges posed a risk to ongoing specialist support.

"People with learning disabilities experience significant health inequalities and higher mortality rates," he said.

"Skilled nurses are required to advocate for their needs and help services make reasonable adjustments to improve access and health outcomes."

UWE is currently undergoing a review on the sustainability of the undergraduate degree.

Holly Gardiner, 20, from Bristol, is studying to be a learning disability nurse at the university.

She said that before the process of applying, she had never heard of the role or its uniqueness.

"I think more awareness needs to be raised because it just shows the lack of... awareness of learning disabilities in general," she said.

"You really need to understand the individuals that you're working with and learn their specific cues and ways of communicating."

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