Learning Disability Week 2025
This year's theme for Learning Disability Week (Monday 16 to Sunday 22 June) is "Do you see me?", which is all about people with a learning disability being seen, heard and valued.
Our Learning Disability service is expanding the ways it engages and works together with people with learning disabilities. We're pleased that our Together Strategy reflects this commitment, including the voice of people with learning disabilities. As part of this work, Joanna Duke, Together and Carer Lead and Katy Welsh, Professional Lead Nurse, have attended two key stakeholder meetings: the Learning Disability Partnership Board and the Torbay Ambassadors Group, part of Devon Link-Up.
Katy says: "Building on the theme of this year's Learning Disability Week Do you see me? , some of our learning disability nurses and apprentices have also been getting involved in raising the profile of the learning disability nursing profession.
"A virtual career event, hosted by NHSE South West in May, gave us the opportunity to shine a spotlight on learning disability nursing and share information and resources about becoming a learning disability on the virtual platform. Nurses held two live Q&A sessions for attendees to ask questions about this career and we have already been contacted by someone who is really keen to apply for a future apprenticeship with DPT. Thank you to Kate Vickers, Nicki Bowen, Steve Garland, learning disability nurses, and Liv Holloway, Registered Nurse Degree Apprentice (RNDA), for their input - and to Sarah Williams, Digital Communications Lead, and Jo Horne, Apprenticeship Development and Early Careers Manager, for helping us with the event."
On Wednesday 4 June, learning disability nurses also attended a Student Celebration Event at the University of West of England in Bristol to present their diverse career journeys, including posts as a residential home manager, inpatient deputy ward manager, acute liaison nurse, clinical team leader and specialist safeguarding nurse.
Thank you to our learning disability nurses, Kate Vickers, Steve Garland, Lynsey Daniels and Sophie Smith, for representing our organisation and showcasing our fantastic profession.