Annual Health Checks – adults aged 16+

The Scottish Government are rolling out Annual Health Checks for people with learning disabilities (aged 16+). Some Local Health Boards have already contacted people with a learning disability in their area to invite them for their first Annual Health Check and others will be doing so throughout this year.

These Annual Health Checks will be a key vehicle for identifying any underlying health conditions that people with Down’s syndrome may have and then moving quickly to appropriate treatment. A well-executed Annual Health Check can save lives.

We have developed several resources to help support all those involved in the Annual Health Checks to get the most out of them and to raise awareness and understanding of the specific health conditions specifically associated with having Down’s syndrome. You can find out more and download these resources below.

If you would like any further information or support regarding accessing Annual Health Checks or would like more information about health conditions associated with Down’s syndrome our Family Support team are here to help.

LETS TALK ABOUT ANNUAL HEALTH CHECKS – easy read (for adults with Down’s Syndrome)

ANNUAL HEALTH CHECKS – PARENTS & CARERS INFORMATION

ANNUAL HEALTH CHECKS – PROFESSIONALS INFORMATION

Public Health Scotland has published details about this year’s Winter Flu and COVID-19 Vaccination Programme.

Individuals with Down’s syndrome aged 6 months+ are eligible for both the flu and COVID winter vaccines as detailed below.

We are very concerned that unpaid carers are not shown as being eligible for the 2024 Winter COVID vaccine. We are currently in contact with Public Health Scotland and The Scottish Government to challenge this as we know that many of you in our community are the sole (unpaid) carer for a loved one with Down’s syndrome and will be highly anxious about contracting COVID and being unable to care for them. We will update you once we have more information on this. 

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recently published its advice to UK governments on the forthcoming COVID-19 Vaccination Programme. Similar to previous Winter Vaccination Programme, the JCVI’s advice is to offer the vaccine to those at high risk of serious disease and who are therefore most likely to benefit from vaccination. You can read the JCVI statement here.

Scotland’s Winter Vaccination Programme will be delivered at local level by Health Boards across the country.

Invitations to book or attend an appointment are being sent to those who are eligible.

Who will be offered the Vaccines?

You’ll be offered the Flu Vaccine if you’re:

You’ll be offered Flu and Coronavirus Vaccines this winter if you’re:

If you need to book or rearrange a vaccine appointment for children under 12 years, you should call the number on your child’s letter.

Please click on the links below for more details:

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccine and Health Conditions – See sections titled ‘Adults aged 16 and over with health conditions’ and ‘Children aged under 16 with health conditions’. Down’s syndrome is an eligible condition under Chronic neurological disease or condition.

COVID-19: the green book, chapter 14a – See pages 24 and 26: ‘Table 3: Clinical risk groups for individuals aged 16 years and over’ and ‘Table 4: Clinical risk groups for individuals aged under 16 years’. Down’s syndrome is an eligible condition  under Chronic neurological disease.

Scotland’s Winter Vaccination Programme has started – Public Health Scotland

Winter Vaccines – NHS Inform

Flu Vaccine – NHS Inform – See section titled ‘Eligible Health Conditions’. Down’s syndrome is an eligible condition under Chronic neurological disease (from 6 months or older)

Child Flu Vaccine – NHS Inform

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccine – NHS Inform

Winter Vaccine Leaflets – NHS Inform

Information in Easy Read about the Winter Flu and COVID-19 Vaccines – Public Health Scotland

Scottish Vaccine Update – Issue 83 – Scottish Vaccine Update – Public Health Scotland

Please contact our Family Support Service Team on 0300 030 2121, email familysupportservice@dsscotland.org.uk or use live chat (when available) for any enquiries relating to the Winter Flu or Covid-19 Vaccination Programme.

Children with Down’s syndrome (Ds) experience a higher incidence of sleep problems than their typically-developing peers. Untreated sleep problems in children (with and without Ds) can lead to sleepiness, behavioural and emotional problems, cognitive impairment, reduced quality of life and reduced academic achievement.

A study by Dr Rebecca Stores at the University of Portsmouth a number of years ago demonstrated that group education of parents using a video and booklet can offer some benefit regarding behavioural sleep problems in children with Ds. A study is currently underway in Scotland, by researchers and sleep specialists from the Royal Hospital for Children & Young People Edinburgh, to evaluate the effectiveness of an updated version of the education package on the sleep and quality of life of young children with Ds and their parents/ carers. Should the revised package prove effective, it is hoped that it will be made available to families across the country, both with and without Ds.

Rest-Ed, funded by a grant from Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity, are looking to recruit parents/ carers of young children (aged 6m-5yrs) with Ds living in Scotland to take part in the evaluation process.

If you would like to participated in this study, please email the REST-Ed team at loth.rested@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk, or speak to the lead investigator, Dr Florian Gahleitner on 0131 312 0453.

We wanted to let you know that Healthcare Improvement Scotland have published the new Pregnancy Screening draft standards and these are now open for consultation. 

These standards are for pregnancy screening related to:

The standards are a revision of the 2019 standards for Pregnancy screening previously referred to as Fetal anomaly screening. The standards will support the delivery of this aspect of the national pregnancy screening programme.

We, Down’s Syndrome Scotland, have been involved as a Stakeholder in the Pregnancy Screening Standards Development and Editorial Groups to ensure that they are inclusive and respectful of our community. We are pleased to share that in response to our request the word ‘Fetal’ will no longer be a term used within pregnancy screening when referring to a baby during pregnancy.  

You can read the standards on Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s website here.

You can give feedback on the draft standards by completing an online survey here.

The consultation on the draft standards closes at 5pm on 19th August 2024.

If you have issues completing the form, you can contact Healthcare Improvement Scotland at his.screeningstandards@nhs.scot.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland will collate comments received on the standards at the end of the consultation period and use these to inform the development of the final standards.The final Pregnancy Screening standards are due for publication in December 2024.

If you have any further questions or would like to speak to us about any of this you can email us at familysupportservice@dsscotland.org.uk or call us on 0300 030 2121.