Collaboration with local charity, Archway provides 'invaluable insight' for future medics

Collaboration with local charity, Archway provides 'invaluable insight' for future medics

The University of Aberdeen continued its collaboration with local charity, Archway, this week with a training session for medical students on caring well for people with learning and communication disabilities.

The University of Aberdeen Medical School continued its collaboration with local charity, Archway, this week with a training session for medical students on caring well for people with learning and communication disabilities.

For the past 3 years the charity has been involved in the special lecture for fourth year medical students which helps the future doctors better understand the needs of patients with profound learning disabilities and how to meet them.

During the lecture, families share their experiences and ideas giving invaluabe insights into the unique challenges they face when accessing healthcare.

Health professionals from NHS Grampian, including a Consultant Psychiatrist, Acute Learning Disability Liaison Nurse, and a Speech and Language Therapist also discuss their roles and advise good practice.

Professor Colin Lumsden, Director of Education for the School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition at the University of Aberdeen supports the initiative saying: “As a paediatrician, I am delighted to see the progress that has been made since Archway contacted the University. This collaboration trains the next generation of doctors to have the awareness, knowledge, and capability to communicate effectively with patients and their families in this previously under-resourced area.”

Archway was set up almost 35 years ago by parents and carers themselves. It now supports almost 200 children and adults with a wide range of complex learning disabilities, many of whom also have associated physical disabilities and other medical conditions. The charity recognises that attending hospital can be a 'challenging and frightening experience' for many people with profound learning disabilities, and is associated with poorer health outcomes. 

Archway Mum, Jacqui Barbour, is one of the parents who shares her experience. Jacqui's son Jack has a condition called Isolated Lissencephaly sequence and needs total care. Jacqui said:"I have been caring for Jack for over 25 years now and am so tuned in to what he needs and how he is. Jack has seizures that can scare healthcare professionals if they witness one, and they think he needs admitting but for us these are normal daily occurrences that we can manage. If we went in every time he had one of those we would never get home. But, I really know when to be worried about him - I know my limits, when I cannot provide the right level of intervention at home, and when I need them to listen and take action.

"I think my biggest message to medical staff is to listen and value the expertise and knowledge parents and carers have." 

The feedback from previous lectures has been very positive with students finding the sessions 'thought provoking', 'insightful' and a provide an understanding of the expertise and information parents have. 

Ed Gardyne, Chair of Archway and an Archway parent himself, initiated the collaboration with the University said: "This year we understand that in addition to the lecture there is the possibility that a video will be made. This might benefit even more medical students and those with learning disabilities and their families across a much wider area and that is something we would be delighted to see.”

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