Primary care health checks for people with learning disabilities

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Last quality assured: 20/03/2026

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Last reviewed: 20/03/2026

Primary care health checks for people with learning disabilities

Adults with intellectual disabilities face numerous barriers to managing long-term conditions.

Research indicates that annual health checks help identify otherwise unmet needs and improve long-term conditions management. In England, 75.2% of people with a learning disability had a ‘Learning Disability Health Check’ in 2020-21, an increase from 56.3% in 2016-17.

It is vital to improve access to, and equality of, care across health and social services for this group. This includes earlier detection and management of physical and mental health conditions, as well as timely and effective treatment for more urgent and serious medical conditions.

Annual health checks for people with learning disabilities should be offered by GP services across the UK and are important when it comes to early identification of health needs.

On the Registered Care Providers Association (RCPA) website, you will find resources for helping individuals access good-quality annual health checks. They are underpinned by 10 principles upon which people who have learning disabilities would like to be treated.

UK health strategies

Learning disabilities and autism feature across UK health strategies, which aim to raise awareness and enhance health outcomes by ensuring individuals receive timely and appropriate health checks.

England