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Oliver McGowan training

Supporting the health and social care workforce to have the right skills and knowledge to provide safe, compassionate and informed care to autistic people and people with a learning disability of all ages: Information for employers and workforce in Norfolk and Waveney ICS.

The Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care System (ICS) is dedicated to equipping health and social care professionals with the necessary skills to effectively support individuals with learning disabilities and autistic people.

Our vision is to create a future where everyone with learning disabilities and/or autism has equal opportunities to become valued members of the community.

To achieve this vision, the Norfolk and Waveney ICS acknowledges the significance of empowering staff through high-quality training. By ensuring healthcare professionals have the right knowledge and skills, we aim to deliver safe, compassionate, and exceptional care for individuals with learning disabilities and autistic people.

The government has  introduced, from 1 July 2022, a requirement for CQC registered service providers to ensure their employees receive learning disability and autism training appropriate to their role. This is to ensure the health and social care workforce have the right skills and knowledge to provide safe, compassionate and informed care to autistic people and people with a learning disability. This requirement is set out in the Health and Care Act 2022. 

The Secretary of State is required to publish a Code of Practice, which will make provisions about the nature of the training including the content, delivery and ongoing evaluation of the training. The government launched the consultation on a draft Oliver McGowan Code of Practice in 2023. The government has now closed the consultation on the draft Oliver McGowan Code of Practice and we await the outcome of this. For more information and updates, visit the gov.uk Oliver McGowan code of practice consultation webpage.

As we await updates regarding the code of practice, we recognise that people are keen to increase their knowledge, awareness and insights to enhance the care they deliver. The following provides an overview of the Oliver McGowan training and where to access the first element delivered via e-learning, and other training available.

What is the Oliver McGowan training?

The training consists of two tiers: Tier 1 offers a foundation level training, while Tier 2 caters to those providing care and support for individuals with learning disabilities and autistic people.

Both Tiers have the requirement of completion on e-learning plus either a virtual or face to face session with a Trio consisting of a trainer and 2 individuals with lived experience of a learning disability and autism. We are in the early stages of developing an approach to roll out of the virtual and face to face training with trios with further information to come in 2024.

Where can I find out more about Oliver McGowan and training support?

More information on Oliver McGowan and resources available nationally can be found The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism | Health Education England (hee.nhs.uk)

CQC compliance

We understand that some Primary Care organisations and Registered Care Providers have concerns or additional questions regarding CQC compliance related to the training. Any queries should be addressed to askpolicyandstrategy@cqc.org.uk

Where can I access training for learning disabilities and autism?

There are a range of ways for people to access training.

  • In the first instance, please contact your employer to access their preferred training and ensure there is a record made.

In addition, you can access:

What is next for the Norfolk and Waveney ICS?

We are working closely with provider leads to implement a roll out of the Oliver McGowan Trio resource in 2024 and will provide updates once a mechanism and trios are in place.