Increasing the health literacy of learning disability and mental health nurses in physical care skills: a pre and post-test evaluation of a workshop on diabetes care

This paper presents the pre- and post-test results of the outcomes of a workshop designed to increase learning disability and mental health nurses’ knowledge and skill to undertake interventions for service users at risk of, or with a diagnosis of, type 2 diabetes. Health literacy is also discussed as a way of explaining why such nurses may lack expertise in physical health care. Findings from the workshop show that learning disability and mental health nurses have the motivation to increase their health literacy (skills and knowledge) in diabetes care. The potential of such workshops, and how organisations looking forward to the future can build health literacy, is discussed.