Good Access to Primary Care Services Network (GAPS)

The North East and Cumbria Good Access to Primary Care Services (GAPS) Network is a regional network made up of the learning disability primary care facilitators from across the region. The network is facilitated and supported by the North East and Cumbria Learning Disability Network.

The GAPS network has been established since 2018 and has led on a range of initiatives to improve the care and experiences of people with a learning disability in primary care services. The network meets 6 weekly with their current 2022 focus on:

• Facilitating reasonable adjustments in general practice and primary care
• Improving the quality and uptake of learning disability Annual Health Checks
• Improving GP learning disability registers
• Provide learning disability awareness training to GP Practices
• Improving access, health and health outcomes and experiences of primary care service for people with a learning disability and their families reducing premature mortality
• Peer review
• Supporting Covid19 vaccinations
• Improving uptake of flu immunisation in people with a learning disability and their carers
• Development and implementation of the Learning Disability Diamond Standard Primary Care Pathways and Workforce Education Package
• Working in partnership with the A2A and Learning Disability Clinical Leads networks