Learning about Intellectual Disabilities and Health is a web-based learning resource for medical and health care students and practitioners. It was launched at the Houses of Parliament on 6th February, 2002 in the presence of Jacqui Smith, the Minister responsible for policy and services for people with intellectual disabilities at the Department of Health in London.

The main aim of this site is to provide up-to-date information for busy practitioners and students about the health needs of people with intellectual disabilities. We cover a broad focus. Articles include not only subjects such as prevention and diagnosis, but also social care issues, family issues and perspectives, and the perspectives of people with intellectual disabilities themselves.

Contributions by experts from around the world are already on the website. Offers to write for the site are always welcome. Please read our editorial guidelines carefully. All articles are subject to peer review and commentaries. Personal view points may be commissioned by the Editors.

Please note that we use intellectual disability or intellectual disabilities throughout the website as these terms are increasingly recognised throughout the world. The terms commonly used in the UK are learning disability or learning difficulty and, in North America, developmental disability, mental retardation and mental handicap.

We are always interested in hearing what our readers think about the articles on this website.  Please do let us know your views by e-mailing them to comments@sgul.ac.uk