Building a National Network for Learning Disability improvement
By Dr Rachel Ann Jones, National Programme Lead
For the past six years leading Wales’ national Learning Disability improvement programme, I’ve been driven by one purpose: improving outcomes and experiences for people with a learning disability, their families, and carers.
Reflecting on our journey as a national improvement programme, I’m proud of how far we’ve come, but it’s equally clear we must go further, together. That’s why I’m excited to introduce the National Network for Learning Disability, an opportunity to engage with our improvement agenda.
Whether you’re a person with lived experience, a healthcare or social care professional, an educator, or a policymaker – your voice matters. Participation is free, flexible, and designed to help us all shape a safer, fairer, and healthier future.
Why we need you
Our work from 2019 to 2025 has driven real progress; co-producing and delivering patient safety solutions, enabling evidence-based decisions via enhanced data and analysis, providing strategic leadership across all levels of the system, and elevating care standards nationally.
Yet, health inequalities still impact people with a learning disability. In 2025/26, we’re working to four strategic priorities to address the needs of individuals and families:
- Enhanced data and specific standards – Strengthening mechanisms to demonstrate equity and improvement.
- Health Checks – Increasing uptake and ensuring high-quality delivery of this key evidence-based intervention.
- Reducing length of stay – Enhancing quality of life by improving hospital discharge and reducing extended stays.
- Reducing restrictive practice – Promoting positive, person-centred care and preventing harmful practices.
These priorities reflect urgent ministerial aims and form the pillars of our renewed work in the year ahead, but we can’t address these priorities alone. Each of these workstreams needs meaningful engagement with those who use services and those who provide them.
These priorities reflect urgent ministerial aims and form the pillars of our renewed work in the year ahead, but we can’t address these priorities alone. Each of these workstreams needs meaningful engagement with those who use services and those who provide them.
Your invitation to make a difference
Part of the aim of this network is to improve connectivity between some of the various corners of the learning disability landscape. For example, some of you may be members of the Community of Practice for Behaviours of Concern, some may be part of the establishing Network for Allied Health Professionals, or some may have worked with us on a previous improvement project. Fundamentally, all of you are interested in improving outcomes.
Joining our National Network for Learning Disability opens up meaningful opportunities: to stay informed on new improvement developments, receive invites to events and webinars, contribute to improvement projects, and help co-design future strategy. Collectively, we can ensure our work reflects the lived reality of those most affected.
This message is your invitation to sign up, stay connected, and bring your insight, experience, and passion. Together, we can shape a Wales where learning disability is no longer a barrier, but a community where every person is valued, supported, and empowered to thrive.