The Hertfordshire History Project

David O'Driscoll

The Government White Paper Valuing People: A new strategy for Learning Disability for the 21st Century has, for one of its aims, the closure of all hospitals by 2004. These hospitals are, in effect, the custodians of the histories of thousands of people with learning disabilities, although they are often very poor at actually doing this effectively.

In this presentation I aim to focus on the unique work of the Hertfordshire Partnership NHS Trust, who has appointed a specialist history project worker. I will outline the historical work he is trying to develop here, the aim of which is to enable learning disability professionals to develop ways and means of helping service users to remember their past.