Learning disability and autism training for clinical and administrative staff
Oliver McGowan was a young autistic man who died in hospital. Following his death, the Health and Care Act 2022 introduced a legal requirement for CQC-registered health and social care providers to ensure that their staff receive training on learning disability and autism.
Links for more information can be found below:
All NHS staff must complete either tier 1 or tier 2 of the mandatory training, depending on their role. The picture below describes the two training tiers, and who is required to complete them.
Dental practice staff will need to undertake different levels of training based on their roles. Administrative staff, including receptionists and practice managers, will typically require tier one training, while clinical staff who provide direct patient care will need to complete tier two training.
Tier one consists of two parts: an on-demand e-learning module of approximately 90 minutes followed by a one-hour online interactive session. Both parts must be completed to meet the statutory requirements.
Tier two also consists of two parts: the same on-demand e-learning module of 90 minutes followed by a one-day face-to-face training session. The face-to-face element is co-delivered by trainers with lived experience of learning disability and autism. Both parts of the training must be completed within six months of each other.
Part One can be accessed on-demand via e-learning for healthcare free of charge.
The second part of the training, whether this is the online interactive session for tier one, or the face-to-face session for tier two, must be delivered by a provider on the list of Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training approved trainers. Availability is currently limited but will hopefully increase in 2026.
Planning your training and putting it into action
We advise all practices to ensure their staff complete the e-learning component and incorporate any learning points into regular team meetings in order to make any necessary adjustments. This demonstrates wiliness to comply and provides essential knowledge whilst arrangements are made to attend the required live training sessions.
CQC compliance and Oliver McGowan training
If a CQC inspection takes place prior to completing the full training requirements, you should be able to demonstrate proactive compliance by showing:
- Requirements for the Oliver McGowan training are listed on practice staff Personal Development Plans (PDPs) with a timeline for completion
- Evidence that all staff have completed or are scheduled to complete the e-learning training and show bookings for (or attempts to book) the approved live training sessions
- Records of team discussions about putting the training into practice and any actions taken.
These steps will show that your practice is actively working towards full compliance.