Experts by experience from bemix, a social enterprise supporting people with learning difficulties and autism, recently attended a training session at the University. Nursing Associate Foundation Degree students worked in groups performing potential role play scenarios that can affect those with learning difficulties in primary and secondary healthcare settings.

This valuable opportunity provided trainee health care professionals with a better understanding of how to communicate and assess people with a learning disability.

Nursing Associate Foundation Degree student, Lisa spoke about the importance of the session: “We’ve learnt that we need to be a little bit more mindful and more inclusive with our patient care,” she said.

“It’s important to find different ways to communicate with our patients who have additional needs and to also find out about your patient before their appointment can be helpful. It was an informative and important session.”

Daniel Marsden, Senior Lecturer in the School of Nursing and Professional Lead in Learning Disabilities, drives collaboration through regular workforce planning meetings, and training sessions with students at the University. 

bemix’s Expert by Experience Megan Everson said: “I feel particularly passionate about how people’s needs are met. More doctors and nurses need more training as it were for people with different disabilities and learning needs to help them have more of an understanding.”

Steve Perry, Director of Arts and Adult Skills at bemix, discussed the importance of partnership working: He said: "Our continued partnership with Canterbury Christ Church University is very important and we all value the opportunity to meet and talk with the students. They are, after all, the professionals of tomorrow and it is therefore essential that people with learning difficulties and/or autism - experts by experience - are involved in their learning process."

Find out more about the School of Nursing at the University.