Who we see

The Learning Disability Psychological Therapies Team accepts referrals for adults (aged 18 and over) with a learning disability. A learning disability is a life-long condition present before adulthood (before age 18) and is associated with the following issues:

• A significant impairment of intellectual functioning (e.g. the ability to understand new or complex information, to learn new skills, or to problem solve.)
• A significant impairment of adaptive behavior (i.e. the ability to cope independently with social, educational, and/or practical tasks)

The Learning Disability Clinical Psychology Service will not accept referrals for:

• Individuals that have specific learning difficulties only, such as dyslexia or dyscalculia.
• Individuals who develop learning impairments or problems with everyday tasks after the age of 18 (an acquired cognitive impairment)
• Individuals with and Autistic Spectrum Disorder, including Asperger’s Syndrome, without an accompanying diagnosis of learning disability.

What do we do

The Learning Disability Psychological Therapies Team adopts a person-centered approach in working with individuals with learning disability (and their carers) that may experience the following:

• Mental health problems, e.g. anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, phobias, eating disorders, difficulties relating to trauma, psychosis, etc.
• Physical health problems e.g. diabetes, sleep, pain, epilepsy, etc.
• Behaviour perceived as challenging to services.
• Relationship problems or personality issues
• Complex or atypical bereavement

We can also offer standardised assessment and relevant interventions for the following:

• Capacity for specific things e.g. parenting, making decisions.
• Dementia and neurological changes
• Behaviour and offending risks
• The impact of cognitive skills on parenting and knowledge
• Learning disability diagnosis.

NB referrals for learning disability diagnosis will only be accepted if:

• Basic checks of cognitive and functional ability have been carried out by the referrer
• These checks indicate the potential presence of a learning disability
• These checks indicate that a learning disability diagnosis will be of benefit to the individual
• The individual is not receiving or waiting for psychological input from another team

Where is Learning Disability Psychology based?

The Learning Disabilities Clinical Psychological Therapies is located at:

Mayfield Building, Falkirk Community Hospital, Major’s Loan, Falkirk, FK1 5QE

Phone: 01324 614 347
Email: FV.psymailbox@nhs.scot

How we can be accessed

Referrals for people with a learning disability may be made by GPs and members of community learning disability teams direct to the Learning Disability Clinical Psychology Service, Falkirk Community Hospital, Majors Loan, Falkirk, FK1 5QE, which serves both hospital and community patients.