Respiratory disease – particularly pneumonia and aspiration pneumonia – is one of the biggest causes of death among autistic people and people with a learning disability living in Coventry and Warwickshire.
LeDeR (learning from lives and deaths report) is an NHS England service improvement programme for people with a learning disability and autistic people that is aimed at improving care, reducing health inequalities and preventing early deaths.
To help take action on early deaths from preventable and treatable respiratory diseases like pneumonia and aspiration pneumonia, our experts by experience have helped develop new easy read advice for local people. And we’re pleased to share this news during Neurodiversity Celebration Week (17-23 March).
The information explains the causes and symptoms of pneumonia and aspiration pneumonia, effective treatment and ways to avoid them.
Tips include:
- Trying not to smoke or be around people who do
- Staying as active as you can
- Keeping yourself and your home clean and warm
- Practicing good oral hygiene
- Having pneumonia, COVID and flu vaccinations.
Please follow this link to read the full easy read guidance about pneumonia and aspiration pneumonia, plus a resource pack.
Grapevine project worker and expert by experience, Andrew Wood, said: “It was a privilege to support our Experts by Experience in this work, and these easy-read resources that were created show what is possible when we all work together for the benefit of so many.”
We hope these resources will grow over time and want them to reach as many people as possible to raise awareness of symptoms, risks and prevention.
Amy Williams, LeDeR Transformation Lead for Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board, said: “We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been involved in the LeDeR Subgroup, their vision, hard work, and contributions of fantastic resources that are included in this pack.
“And thank you to you all for your passion to make a difference. A real example of continued system collaboration with Experts by Experience at the heart of the work.”
About Experts By Experience
Grapevine’s Experts By Experience Co-production Service – part of our Shifting Power work across Coventry and Warwickshire – is an opportunity for autistic people or people with a learning disability (and their parent or carer, where applicable) to influence decision-making and have a say on new services and strategies that have or will have an impact on disabled people.
Contact the team at ebe@grapevinecovandwarks.org.
This work is commissioned by NHS Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board with Coventry City Council and Warwickshire County Council.