Guidance

Oliver McGowan code of practice (easy read)

Guidance about the training on learning disability and autism that health and care staff must do if they work in services registered with CQC in England.

From:
Department of Health and Social Care
Published
19 June 2025
Last updated
18 September 2025 — See all updates

Applies to England

Documents

Oliver McGowan code of practice (easy read)

PDF, 2.19 MB, 31 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email publications@dhsc.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

The law says that:

  • all health and care staff in services that are registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) must get training on learning disability and autism

  • the training should be right for the job they do

CQC is an organisation that checks the standard of health and social care services in England.

‘Registered’ means the health and care services agree to be checked by CQC.

This guidance is called a code of practice. The guidance explains:

  • what training staff need to get to follow the law
  • what standards the training should follow
  • why training is important

The code became final on 6 September 2025.

See also the non-easy read version of the code of practice.

Updates to this page

Published 19 June 2025
Last updated 18 September 2025 show all updates

  1. Updated to reflect that the code of practice became final on 6 September 2025.

  2. First published.

Sign up for emails or print this page