The Content Study: A Mixed Methods Study to Evaluate the Implementation and Impact of the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism

People with learning disability (LD) and autistic people have poorer health and reduced survival. Barriers to accessing healthcare and difficulties interacting with healthcare providers predict reduced survival.

The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training (OMMT) on LD and Autism aims to improve the skills and knowledge of health and social care professionals in supporting people with these conditions.

This evaluation aims to determine how the OMMT is being delivered, how it impacts different professional and patient groups, and its association with clinical outcomes.

The modified Kirkpatrick Model, validated for evaluating training programmes, comprises of four levels: 1) Reaction, 2) Changes in attitudes, knowledge, and skills, 3) Behaviour change, and 4) Changes in organisational practice and patient outcomes. This uses a mixture of methods, including survey, semi-structured interviews, and reflective writing.

We will sample participants from a representative group of five Integrated Care Boards based in England.

We will report data from Integrated Care Boards relating to OMMT compliance, including in different demographic and professional groups.

Health and social care professionals (n = 450) will be surveyed pre-OMMT, within 1-week post-OMMT, and within 3 months post-OMMT, on their knowledge and empathy levels using validated assessments, the Autism Stigma and Knowledge Questionnaire, the Attitudes Toward Intellectual Disability Questionnaire, the Jefferson Scale of Empathy Health Professions version, and the Empathy Scale for Social Workers.

We will ask them to report their views on the OMMT and how it has influenced their behaviour, measure the impact on their interprofessional behaviours with the validated Interprofessional Collaboration Competency Attainment Survey.

Fifteen of these health and social professionals will undertake semi-structured interviews according to the modified Kirkpatrick Model and ten will complete reflective diaries. People with LD, autistic people, and their carers will undergo semi-structured interviews. Fifteen of these will be involved in delivering the OMMT, and fifteen will not have been involved in OMMT delivery.

Evaluations of the OMMT will be conducted by fifteen people who have designed previous national training packages relating to people with a LD and/or autistic people, with subsequent semi-structured interviews.

We will obtain national data on mortality, and regional data on serious untoward incidents and formal complaints for people with LD and autistic people, to determine associations of such clinical outcomes with OMMT compliance and evaluation data. People with LD and autistic people will be actively involved in all stages of the study, as well as their carers.

We will appoint a panel of five Experts by Experience to the study team, and work with other partner organisations with expertise in interprofessional education, empathy, and autistic healthcare. A risk log will be used by the study team to monitor progress and obstacles to study completion. A report of our findings will be co-produced inclusive of people with LD and autistic people.

There will be an easy-read version of the report.

Findings from the evaluation and recommendations will be produced, suitably formatted for people with LD and autistic people, carers, health and social care staff, policy makers and government and the research community.