Referrals are accepted from clients, carers, family members, advocates, health professionals, or customer service adult social care.

Referrals to the Community Learning Disability Team (Health) Waltham Forest can be made using the referral form attached to this service page. 

Please download and complete this referral form: SPA WF CLDT Referral Form [doc] 74KB

And send it, fully completed to this email address:

Email: WF.CLDTHealth@nelft.nhs.uk   

You can make a telephone referral to CLDT Waltham Forest:

Telephone: 020 8928 8300 

All referrals will be screened to determine if the community learning disability team (CLDT) is the most appropriate team to meet client need. Some individuals may be sign posted to more appropriate services.

Eligible

The client/patient must:

Be resident in Waltham Forest.

Be registered with a GP of either Waltham Forest, Redbridge, Havering, Barking or Dagenham. 

Be aged 18 or over.

• A service user with formal diagnosis of Learning Disability with impact of LD as predominant need. Learning disability defined as significantly below intellectual functioning and adaptive behaviour functions.
• Formal diagnosis is preferable, but not essential, if LD diagnosis is confirmed at referral, with evidence of diagnosis.  
• Has a significantly reduced ability to understand new or more complex information or to learn new skills. A person’s I.Q. (Intelligence Quotient) is not the only defining factor, but those with an I.Q. below 70 would be considered for the purpose of this definition.
• Alongside the above, has a significantly reduced ability to cope independently, i.e. they have impaired personal and social skills (for example: with communication, self-care, daily living skills, use of community resources, health and safety, leisure, or work),
• Has a disability that started before adulthood (18 yrs) with a lasting effect on their development.
  • Where the LD diagnosis is unclear, further screening (‘Eligibility Assessment’) will be undertaken.
• Some service users with a Learning Disability can access mainstream services with support of Learning Disability Specialists with reasonable adjustments considered (Equality Act 2010).

Non-eligble

• Learning difficulty (e.g. Dyslexia, ADHD, Dyspraxia) or Neurodevelopmental Disorder (e.g. Autism) alone (i.e. without diagnosis of Learning Disability)
• People with high functioning Asperger’s syndrome or high functioning Autism whose cognitive abilities are in the average range or above.
• ‘Borderline’ LD suggestive of ability to access mainstream services with reasonable adjustments.
• Where learning disability is not the predominant need and/or another service may be more appropriate.
• Acquired brain damage after the age of 18 years old leading to the loss of the ability to understand new or more complex information or to learn new skills (e.g. victims of road traffic accidents).
• Those adults with social/communication disorders with average or above average intelligence.
• Those whose function has been affected by environmental/emotional circumstances e.g. emotional trauma, abuse, limited educational opportunities, (people in these situations may be subject to further clinical assessment).
• Those whose primary disorder and support needs are related to alcohol and drug misuse, sensory impairment, psychiatric illness, or physical impairment.
• Develop an adult onset medical condition that leads to difficulties with cognitive functioning e.g. degenerative neurological conditions, dementia, stroke etc.

Learning Disability usually means people who meet:

World Health Organisation (ICD-11) definition of ‘6A00 Disorders of intellectual development’.

• The presence of significant limitations in intellectual functioning across various domains such as perceptual reasoning, working memory, processing speed, and verbal comprehension
• The presence of significant limitations in adaptive behaviour, which refers to the set of conceptual, social, and practical skills that have been learned and are performed by people in their everyday lives.
• Onset occurs during the developmental period.
• The person must have experienced problems before the age of 18.

Factors which MAY indicate a learning disability;

• Record of delayed development/difficulties with social functioning & daily living before 18.
• Requires significant assistance to provide for own survival (eating & drinking, keeping self clean, warm and clothed) and/or with social/community adaptation (e.g. Social problem solving/reasoning). NB need for assistance may be subtle.
• Presence of all three criteria for LD i.e. Impairment of intellectual functioning/social adaptive functioning and age of onset.
• Range of information presenting a picture of difficulties in a number of areas of  function, not explainable by another ‘label’ contact with specialist LD consultant.

If you have a safeguarding concern about an adult who you feel is being abused or is at risk of abuse, please contact the London Borough of Waltham Forest Safeguarding team.

You can contact the team:

Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm except bank holidays.

Telephone: 0208 928 8300
Email:  LDduty@walthamforest.gov.uk

Out of hours support (Monday to Friday 5pm to 9am, and all day during weekends and Bank Holidays)

Telephone: 020 8496 3000
Email: wfdliaison@walthamforest.gov.uk

 

The north east London adult emergency duty team (EDT) provides an emergency social care service outside of normal office hours. The service is designed to deal only with emergency situations that cannot wait until the next working day. Members of the public and health and social care professionals can contact the team if a carer or a vulnerable adult is in urgent need or requires protection from harm. A vulnerable adult is a person of 18 years or over with a social care need. This can include people with mental health problems, physical or learning disabilities or older people. The service includes but is not restricted to the provision of Mental Health Act assessments by an approved mental health professional.

The service has access to the health and social care client record as necessary and applicable.

Operating Hours: Mon to Fri: 5 pm to 9 am & 24 Hrs on Saturdays, Sundays & Bank Holidays.

Members of the public please contact EDT on:

Telephone: 020 8496 3000

Email: wfdliaison@walthamforest.gov.uk

Professionals can contact EDT in relation to social care on the contact below:

Telephone: 0300 555 1249 extension 67773

The Intensive Support Team for people with a learning disability and autism aims to enhance the current function of the Adult Community Learning Disability Teams (CLDTs) across NELFT.

The service provides intensive support for those with more complex needs, offers (through consultancy and preventative and proactive working) rapid and intensive support to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, that a user of service remains in their own home or environment and relies on joint working with the CLDTs.  

The Team consists of: A Consultant Psychiatrist, Speech and Language Therapist, Behaviour Specialist, Occupational Therapist, Senior Nursing staff, and Support, Time, and Recovery workers.  

Within normal working hours (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm except Bank Holidays) your first point of contact is the Havering Community Learning Disability Team.

The Intensive Support Team is a 24-hour service and calls are directed to the out of hours team for support required after 9PM, during weekends and bank holidays. To contact the team please call 0300 300 1719, or email ist@nelft.nhs.uk

RCPSYCH – Royal College of Psychiatrists

The Royal College o Psychiatrists are the professional medical body responsible for supporting psychiatrists throughout their careers from training through to retirement, and in setting and raising standards of psychiatry in the United Kingdom. They work to secure the best outcomes for people with mental illness, learning difficulties and developmental disorders by promoting excellent mental health services, training outstanding psychiatrists, promoting quality and research, setting standards and being the voice of psychiatry.

University of Birmingham — LD Medication Guide

The team aims to support adults in the North East London community with learning disability and/ or autism who are at risk of new or additional contact with the criminal justice system.

The focus is on supporting service users to develop their strengths to ensure they get the best out of life.

The team also supports carers and professionals involved in service users’ care by offering joint working, consultation and training as well as supporting community teams to manage risk. The team also provides an in-reach service to people in our inpatient learning disability and autism service as well as Care Coordination and Social Supervision for the service users once they have been discharged from secure services.

The team will work with criminal justice agencies to contribute to court reports, which could have a significant positive impact on future prospects. Team members will work together as a multidisciplinary team to reduce admission and readmission to hospital.

Team information and contact details:

FIND (NEL) Service - Forensic Intellectual and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities – (North East London)

Contact email: elft.FINDNEL@nhs.net (not for referrals)

Please send referrals directly to: elft.find-nelreferrals@nhs.net

Medical Secretary - Laura Rhodes

Service Manager – John Rochester

Address: 1st Floor, Beaumont House, Mile End Hospital, Bancroft Road, E1 4DG

FIND NEL reception telehone number: 0207 771 5823