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Self-referral

Specialist Services for People with a Learning Disability (Bedfordshire and Luton)

We are the Specialist Health Care Team (SHCT) and Intensive Support Team (IST) for adults with learning disabilities in Bedfordshire and Luton.
We are part of the East London NHS Foundation Trust.
Our teams are based at Twinwoods Resource Centre in Clapham, Bedford.
We can also come to your home, college, or day service to support you.

 

​​​​Learning Disabilities Specialist Community Healthcare (Bedfordshire

Learning Disabilities Specialist Community Healthcare (Bedfordshire

Address

Clinical Resource Centre
Milton Road
Clapham, Bedfordshire
MK41 6AT
United Kingdom

Email address
Elt-tr.spldreferrals@nhs.net
Telephone number
01234 310589
Specialist Healthcare Team Leaflet 2025
Download

Anyone can refer to us.
You can refer yourself, or ask your GP, family member, or support worker to do it for you.

Who We Work With

We support adults aged 18 and over who have a learning disability and a GP in Bedfordshire.
We also accept referrals from age 17. This helps us see if we are the right service for you when you turn 18, especially if you are moving from Children’s to Adult services.

Who We Do Not Work With

We do not accept referrals for:

  • Adults with specific learning difficulties only (like dyslexia/ dyspraxia or ADHD)
  • Autistic adults who do not have a learning disability
  • Adults with mild or moderate learning disabilities who can use mainstream services with reasonable adjustments
  • Adults with an acquired brain injury or memory changes that have happened after age 18.
     

How We Can Help
We help people with a learning disability to look after their health.
We might work with you, your family or carers, and other professionals like social workers.
We support people to:

  • Live healthy and happy lives
  • Get the right support for their needs
  • Get help with physical health, mental health, and behavioural needs
  • Access mainstream services, like GPs, hospitals, and mental health services

Our Team Includes:

  • Arts Therapists
  • Health Equalities Team (including Health Facilitation, Sight and Hearing, and Acute Liaison)
  • Positive Behaviour Support
  • Occupational Therapists
  • Physiotherapists
  • Positive Behaviour Support Practitioners
  • Psychiatrists
  • Psychologists
  • Speech and Language Therapists
  • Intensive Support Team (IST)

The Breaking Barriers Project is a set of video guides to help autistic people or those with a learning disability prepare for health appointments.

The videos have been co-produced by BLMK (Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes) Integrated Care Board, clinicians, autistic adults, ELFT (East London Foundation Trust) and Autism Bedfordshire, to help autistic people and people with a learning disability better understand what to expect when going to healthcare appointments, screening appointments and different areas of their health.

Please see the video guides here.