Followers or leaders? What is the role for social care practitioners in annual health checks for adults with learning disabilities?

The promotion of health checks for adults with learning disabilities in England is government policy based on the need to address lack of access to healthcare services and poor health outcomes for this group of citizens. This article reports the findings of a scoping review of the literature carried out in 2009 to explore the implications of a national system of health checks for the work of practitioners in social care services. The review found little in the research literature relevant to social care practice and concluded that there is a need to consider the possible roles of social care staff in initiating health checks; their possible involvement in decision making around issues of consent; social care practice in recording and implementing the recommendations of such checks; possible roles as escorts, chaperones and supporters with communications; and the presence of regulatory scrutiny of their participation in this activity.