Children’s Community Learning Disability Nursing Service
What is a learning disability?
A learning disability is a significant, lifelong condition with a reduced ability to understand new/complex information or a reduced ability to learn new skills, and a reduced ability to cope independently. It is a condition which started before adulthood (before the age of 18) with a lasting effect on the individual’s development with an IQ below 70.
The Community Learning Disability Nurse Team
The Community Learning Disability Nursing (CLDN) Teams work across the lifespan, working with children, young people, adults and older adults with formal diagnosis of learning disability within their own homes or local community resources. The nurses can provide assessment and intervention to support:
- Physical health
- Mental health
- Challenges with day-to-day behaviour
- Communication
- Continence promotion and toilet training
- Sleep
- Sexual health and relationships
- Healthy eating and nutrition e.g. selective eating
- Activities of daily living
This is a non-exhaustive list.
Contact details
There are seven Community Learning Disability Nurse Teams across Lothian across four health and social care partnerships: East Lothian, Midlothian, West Lothian and the City of Edinburgh. See contact details below.
| North East Edinburgh CoE HSCP | Leith Community Treatment Centre, Junction Place, Edinburgh EH6 5JQ Phone number: 0131 536 6257 CLDT email: loth.necldt@nhs.scot |
| North West Edinburgh CoE HSCP | North West Locality Office 8 West Pilton Garden Edinburgh EH4 4DP Phone number: 0131 529 5088 CLDT email: loth.nwcldt@nhs.scot |
| South East Edinburgh CoE HSCP | Gracemount Medical Centre, 24 Gracemount Drive, Edinburgh, EH16 6RN Phone number: 0131 672 9500 CLDT email: loth.southeastcldt@nhs.scot |
| South West Edinburgh CoE HSCP | Westerhailes Healthy Living Centre, 30 Harvesters Way Edinburgh EH14 3JF Phone number: 0131 453 9320 CLDT email: |
| West Lothian HSCP | Torridon House, Almondvale Boulevard, Livingston, West Lothian. EH54 6QY Office number: 01506 284070 CLDT email: loth.wl-cldt@nhs.scot |
| Midlothian HSCP | Bonnyrigg Health Centre, Quarry Head, 109-111 High Street, Bonnyrigg EH19 2ET Office number: CLDT email: MCLDT@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk |
| East Lothian HSCP | North Office: East Lothian Community Hospital, Alderston Road, Haddington, EH41 3PF Office number: 01620 642771 CLDT email: lotheastlothianCLDT@nhs.scot |
Who can refer:
We operate an open referral system. Anyone can refer, with consent from legal guardian.
Who to refer:
Anyone with Learning Disabilities, suffering from physical, psychological, social or behavioural problems that you feel would benefit from the input of the Community Learning Disability Team
Who not to refer:
- Children who require a formal diagnosis. We do not assess children for a learning disability.
- Children or young people with learning difficulties, such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, unless they have an additional learning disability diagnosis.
How to refer:
- Referral for GPs is via SCI Gateway.
- For other Allied Health Professionals a referral form requires to be completed with relevant details and good description of health and/or behaviour reason for referral and with evidence of LD.
- Detail any child Protection concerns. This will enable us to assess the level of urgency of the referral.
After Referral:
- CLDT complete screening visits on all new referrals: two professionals will visit to gather more information and to ascertain that the referral is appropriate.
- If the referral is not appropriate; we will signpost to other services where appropriate.
Feedback will be provided to the referrer
