HOSPITAL chiefs should provide more support for patients with learning disabilities, says a Stourbridge mom who has collected more than 1,400 signatures to back her quest.

Dudley Group of Hospitals (DGoH) has just one learning disability liaison nurse working five days a week.

Helen Ashby, whose 29-year-old son David Sheriff has Down’s Syndrome and autism, believes that is insufficient, saying the service needs to be available all day, every day.

Helen, from Norton, said: “She (the nurse) works well in excess of her hours as she is clearly very passionate about the role and the patients she supports.

“But it is a vital post, that is required 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. There are 168 hours in a week – this requires a dedicated team not one person.

“A team that is physically on site seven days a week for the main hospital clinic hours and at least on call and available by telephone for the other hours.

“My son has required the support of the Learning Disability Liaison Nurse on several occasions this year and twice it hasn't been available.

“Once was an admission on a Sunday and then a problem with medical staff on a Bank Holiday Monday, and once when the nurse was away from the trust on leave.

“In her absence there was no back up available.”

Helen, 45, says neighbouring NHS trusts in Walsall and Worcester each have two nurses and she believes that must be the bare minimum for the Dudley area as well.

She added: “Currently if someone who has a learning disability needs admission to hospital on an evening, during the night, on a weekend, a bank holiday or during the nurse’s time away from the trust there is zero support available.

“Parents and family members, care and support staff often don't have a voice when they are trying to support someone with a learning disability and or autism through a hospital appointment, admission and discharge.

“Hospitals can be a very scary and intimidating place for many people but more so for people who have a learning disability and /or autism.”

Diane Wake, chief executive of the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, promised the issue would be looked into.

She said: “Local and national evidence strongly supports that having qualified learning disability practitioners employed within an acute hospital setting can significantly improve the health outcomes for vulnerable patients.

“We are committed to this and appointed our current learning disabilities liaison nurse in 2013.

“We continue to train learning disability champions across the Trust, which ensures we have a coverage of support for our patients with a learning disability. In addition, learning disability awareness training is mandatory for all of our clinical staff.

“A business case has been completed highlighting the benefits of increasing the learning disability liaison nurse team.”

See Helen’s petition at https://www.change.org/p/dudley-group-of-hospitals-we-want-dudley-group-of-hospitals-to-employ-a-team-of-learning-disability-liaison-nurses