Sources of further evidence

• Claim pack
• Multi-disciplinary community team
• General Practitioner (GP)
• Health Care Professional (HCP) Examination Report
• Social Services and Local Authority
• Accommodation manager

Claim pack

Self-assessment is the prime source of evidence, but the claim pack should be checked to see who has completed it. If the form has been filled in by the customer, due to the nature of their condition, it might not necessarily be an accurate or reliable description of their problems.

If the claim pack has been completed on behalf of the customer, by someone who has a good understanding of his or her needs, then it could provide good evidence.

The DM should bear in mind that the completion of the corroborative statement by a Health Care Professional does not necessarily mean that they endorse what has been said in the claim pack.

However, because of the complex nature of learning disability and the wide variation in resulting disablement, it is important to try to obtain medical evidence to support information provided by the customer whenever possible.

Multi-disciplinary community team

People with learning disability who require active involvement or review will be under the supervision of a community team. Although the majority will have severe or moderate learning disability, those with mild learning disability who are considered at risk will also be under their supervision. A hospital factual report should be requested for completion by any member of the clinical team that may include a consultant psychiatrist, specialist nurse [learning disability] or occupational therapist. A copy of a Community Care Act assessment form can also be requested at the same time.

The following, if available, should also be requested:

• A copy of a completed standardised assessment, for example the Adaptive Behaviour Scale, as this is likely to provide good evidence about functional ability of the person.
• A copy of a Statement of Special Educational Needs as this is likely to provide good evidence of associated needs.

General Practitioner (GP)

People with learning disability who are not considered high risk and do not require involvement of the community team will be under the care of the primary care team and in this circumstance it is worth trying to obtain a factual report from the GP. A proportion of GPs keep a register of people with learning disability in their practice.

Health Care Professional (HCP) Examination Report

However, it is possible that the GP has no recent information relating to the person and in this event an HCP examination report would be required.

Social Services and Local Authority

Copies of previous assessments including educational assessments may be obtained from the Social Services department, Local Authority or carer in the absence of any current health care involvement.

Accommodation manager

When the claimant is living in supported accommodation then the type and level of support provided could be helpful in determining their need for help.

A phone call to the accommodation manager could provide useful evidence.

Amended September 2011