The Springwell Project brought together people with a learning disability and complex needs from across Sussex to share their experiences of using specialist NHS health services and to explore what needed to change so that they can become more involved and more in control of their care right through from referral to discharge.
The Springwell Standards, access support tools and resources on this page are the results of this collaboration.
There are four clear standards that our services who work with people who have a learning disability have promised they will meet.
The Springwell Standards say what you should expect when you are referred to our community learning disability services.
Team Springwell is a group of people who have a learning disability. They are skilled experts by experience in learning disability and complex needs. The team is able to understand and speak up confidently about learning disability health care.
These films were made by Team Springwell for people with learning disability, support workers, carers, family and our staff.
They explain the specialist learning disability health services available in Sussex and how you can be more involved in your own health care.
Brighton and Hove
Brighton and Hove City Council Community Learning Disability Team
East Sussex
East Sussex NHS Learning Disability Team
East Sussex Council Learning Disability Services
West Sussex
West Sussex learning disability teams
Learning Disabilities Health Facilitation Team West Sussex
Selden Centre - Learning Disability Assessment and Treatment Unit
If you have a mental health problem you may need to get help from our mental health services.
We will make sure all our mental health services can help people with a learning disability.
Sometimes the specialist learning disability teams work jointly with the mental health teams.
Find out more about our mental health services
Help when things go wrong
If you are having thoughts and urges about hurting yourself or ending your life or if you are worried about someone else who might be having these thoughts and feelings, you can find information to help here:
If you would like to find out more about Learning Disability Participation and Team Springwell you can contact:
Lucy Westcott, Learning Disability Participation Lead
Phone: 07391 408211
Email: lucy.
Patient Experience and People Participation
Patient Experience is how we listen and learn from the people who use our services.
People Participation is about how we include the voices of people with lived experience (experts by experience) to help design, develop, deliver and evaluate our services.
Find out more about Patient Experience and People Participation
Inclusive Communication
This is an approach to support communication for people with different and varied expression and understanding.
Using this approach is very important to enable people with a learning disability to be involved in their care.
What is inclusive communication?
What is inclusive communication - easy read
Total communication resource pack
The peer support charter
As a result of the principled ways of working conference, experts by experience in mental health services across Sussex made the principles of peer support charter set of standards.
Watch a video about peer support in mental health services
NHS Accessible Information Standard
The NHS Accessible Information Standard is about making sure that organisations support the information and communication needs of patients, service users, carers and parents with a disability, impairment or sensory loss. The government says that all NHS care or publicly-funded adult social care organisations must follow the NHS Accessible Information Standard
You can find out more about the standard here, including an easy read version
Care and Treatment Review
Care and Treatments Reviews (CTRs) are for people with learning disabilities, autism or both. CTRs help make care better for people whose behaviour is seen as challenging and/or for people with a mental health condition.
Find out more information about CTRs
Health Education England Kent Surrey and Sussex (HEKSS)
HEKSS supports the delivery of excellent healthcare and health improvement to the patients and public of England.
HEKSS funded the Springwell Project.
Heads On
Heads On is our charity which aims to help people with mental health problems to feel supported, to stay active and to be more involved in their communities.
Aldingbourne Trust
The Aldingbourne Trust supports people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live independent lives.
The Aldingbourne Trust coproduced the Springwell Project with Sussex Partnership.
Find out more about the Aldingbourne Trust