Michael leads the way in implementing the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training
Posted on Tuesday 4 August 2026
Tell me a little bit about yourself, Michael?
I am a 46 year old man who has a lived experience of a learning disability. I live independently and work full-time. I spend three days a week working as a Learning Disability Liaison Assistant at York Hospital, and two days a week, working as an Administrator Hub Assistant in the Department of Health Sciences at the University of York.
Michael, tell me about the ‘Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training?’
It’s a training session which was set up when Oliver McGowan, who had a learning disability and autism, was admitted to a hospital setting and then, even though he had capacity to say ‘no I don’t want this medication’, staff went against his wishes, even though he was saying ‘no, no, no, no, no!’. It led to him deteriorating and then he died. His mum then campaigned for all health and social care staff, in England, to have to complete mandatory training in caring for people with a learning disability, and for autistic people. It went through Parliament and his mum won. The training involves an eLearning training package plus a one day, face to face, workshop. The morning focuses care of people with a learning disability, and is co-facilitated with someone with a learning disability. The afternoon then focuses on care for autistic people, and is co-facilitated with someone who is autistic. Co-facilitators must be paid for their contributions.
How did you get involved in the training?
I got an email from a lady in Hull, from the ‘Oliver’s Campaign’ and she sent me on the next training course, which was at Scarborough Hospital. Once I completed that, I was able to co-facilitate the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Sessions and was allocated my first training sessions, at York Hospital. Since then I have also co-facilitated the training at Harrogate Hospital and for Nimbus Care, who manage all the GP Practices.
How did you get involved in training the student nurses at the University of York?
Professor Melissa Owens, from the University of York successfully bid for some money from NHS England to implement the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training to first year student nurses, at the university. As I already worked there, she approached me to get involved and co-facilitate the training to the student nurses. We have now successfully trained all the first year student nurses, for two whole years in a row.
Why did you go to Munich in July 2026?
Professor Melissa Owens contacted me to ask if I would be interested in going to the IASSIDD (International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities) Congress with her, to present the work we had done in implementing the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training to the first year student nurses at the University of York. I agreed and we then submitted two abstracts: mine was about my experience of co-facilitating the training, and hers was the results of a questionnaire to see if, or how, the knowledge, skills, behaviours and confidence of student nurses had gone up, after they completed the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training.
How was your presentation received?
It was really well received. The whole focus of the Congress was on working collaboratively and co-creating materials, but we were one of the few presentations where we had truly done so. I presented to a whole room of people, and they were really interested in what I had been doing and were genuinely thanking me for my presentation as they left. I really enjoyed the whole Congress and genuinely made a lot of connections with new people
So what is next?
From the very start, we have had a ‘whole team approach’ to planning, delivering and evaluating the training. In August 2026 the whole team are meeting to evaluate the delivery of the training to the students of 2026. We will also be considering how best we can disseminate what we have achieved and I’m very much looking forward to be an integral part of the dissemination process.
